Clement Turpin appointed referee for England‑Norway World Cup 2026 quarter‑final
French referee Clement Turpin has been confirmed to officiate the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter‑final between England and Norway. Turpin, a member of UEFA’s Elite group since 2012, will oversee his fourth match of the tournament – after England’s 4‑2 win over Croatia, Paraguay’s 0‑0 draw with Australia and Colombia’s 1‑0 victory over Ghana – and his ninth World Cup appearance overall.
Turpin’s résumé includes the 2021 Europa League final, the 2022 Champions League final and the opening match of Euro 2024 between Germany and Scotland. He will be assisted by French officials Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pages, with Spanish fourth‑official Alejandro Hernandez and reserve assistant José Enrique Naranjo.
The appointment revives a past controversy: in the 2023 Champions League quarter‑final, Turpin issued two yellow cards to Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel, prompting Tuchel to label the referee “Grade E” and give him “one out of ten”. Tuchel later praised Turpin as a “top referee” ahead of the World Cup clash.
The winner of the England‑Norway match will face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi‑final. England also faces the risk of four players missing the next round if they receive further cautions.
Key quotations: Tuchel said, “I would give him a one out of ten. He was absolutely terrible,” and later noted, “He is a top referee.”