FIFA World Cup 2026: Referee Clement Turpin to Officiate England vs. Croatia Match

Clement Turpin Set to Officiate England's Opening Match

Kansas City [US], June 15: The opening match for England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Croatia will see French referee Clement Turpin in charge. This appointment comes after England's coach, Thomas Tuchel, previously labeled Turpin as 'Grade E', highlighting his dissatisfaction with the referee's performance, as reported by a news source.

Turpin had a controversial history with Tuchel, having sent him to the stands during a Champions League quarter-final match between Bayern Munich and Manchester City in 2023. This incident occurred after Turpin issued two yellow cards to Tuchel for dissent during a 1-1 draw.

In that match, Turpin showed five yellow cards in the first half and initially dismissed Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano with a straight red, which was later rescinded following a VAR review. Manchester City ultimately triumphed 4-1 on aggregate.

Post-match, Tuchel expressed his disappointment with both the pitch conditions and Turpin's officiating, reiterating his 'Grade E' assessment. He stated, 'The pitch wasn’t in good shape, and the referee, unfortunately, was Grade E.'

Tuchel's critique of Turpin was severe, as he described the officiating as inconsistent and detrimental to Bayern's chances in the match. He remarked, 'I’d give him a one out of 10. He was absolutely terrible. It’s unbelievable at this level. He was whistling for everything and anything. Everything was against us.'

England's match against Croatia is scheduled to take place at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.