NEW DELHI: England’s FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals against Norway will be officiated by experienced French referee Clément Turpin. The game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami was Turpin’s fourth game in the tournament and the ninth World Cup game of his career. The winner of the quarterfinal will face Argentina or Switzerland in the semifinals.
Who is Clement Turpin? ?
Turpin was also the referee when England beat Croatia 4-2 in their opening match of the tournament.The 44-year-old previously worked at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and is considered one of the top referees in Europe.In this year’s tournament, he oversaw England’s victory over Croatia, Paraguay’s goalless draw with Australia, and Colombia’s Round of 16 victory over Ghana.He will be assisted by fellow French officers Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pages. Alejandro Hernandez of Spain will be the fourth official, while Jose Enrique Naranjo will serve as the reserve assistant referee.
Good record for England
England generally enjoyed good results under Turpin. This Sunday’s match will be the ninth time he has officiated the Three Lions.England have won five of their last eight games with Turpin in charge. Their only draw under him was a 0-0 result against Slovenia at UEFA Euro 2024.
Tuchel in Turpin
Despite his reputation as one of the best referees in Europe, Turpin has had his share of controversy.In 2023, England manager Thomas Tuchel, then coach of Bayern Munich, strongly criticized the French referee after Bayern’s Champions League quarterfinal against Manchester City.Tuchel was unhappy after Turpin was shown five yellow cards in the first half and Dayot Upamecano was initially sent off before VAR overturned the decision for offside.“Two things do not follow the level – the pitch is not in good condition and also the referee, unfortunately, is Grade E. I will give him one out of 10. He is absolutely terrible. It is unbelievable at this level.“He whispers for everything and anything. Everything is against us. In the end, we are not in a position to turn the things of three people against us. That is a fact,” said Tuchel.Despite that criticism, Turpin remains one of the most respected referees in world football. He officiated the 2021 Europa League final and the 2022 UEFA Champions League final and has overseen many high-profile international matches.He has also officiated matches involving Jude Bellingham in club football and is known for his calm manner in high-pressure situations as he prepares to officiate another important match at the England World Cup.