Italian referee Maurizio Mariani eyed for World Cup 2026 final

Former English Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg says FIFA is considering appointing Italian official Maurizio Mariani to officiate the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. He warned the move could upset many fans, noting the tournament’s recent history of referees from England (2010), Italy (2014), Argentina (2018) and Poland (2022).

Clattenburg highlighted the strong Italian presence in FIFA’s refereeing bodies, with Gianni Infantino and Pierluigi Collina holding senior roles. Mariani, 44, has been on the FIFA list since 2019 and has already refereed three matches in the current World Cup – Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay, Colombia vs DR Congo and Brazil vs Japan – as well as the UEFA Conference League final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano. The former referee called an Italian appointment a “big shock” and argued there are many other talented officials who could take the role.