Clement Turpin named referee for England vs Croatia at World Cup 2026

Clement Turpin will referee England’s World Cup 2026 Group L opener against Croatia at Dallas Stadium, with the two sides widely regarded as the favourites to contest top spot in the group.

The Frenchman has been operating at the highest level since 2010 and brings considerable experience to the assignment. His CV includes the 2021 UEFA Europa League Final, the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final, and appearances at Euro 2024. He arrives in Dallas having already officiated five World Cup matches across his career, and with more than 62 Champions League ties and 300-plus Ligue 1 games to his name across a 430-game career.

In terms of card discipline, Turpin sits in the moderate range. His career average stands at 3.32 yellow cards per match, while his red card rate is relatively low at 0.27 per match — 117 dismissals in total. One figure worth monitoring is his penalty record: over the past year he has awarded seven spot-kicks in 31 games, a ratio that sits on the higher end compared to his peers.

Turpin will be flanked by fellow Frenchmen Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pagès as his assistant referees. Katia Itzel García of Mexico serves as the fourth official, with compatriot Sandra Ramírez as reserve assistant.

On VAR duty, Jérôme Brisard leads the review team with Willy Delajod as his assistant — both French — while Swiss official Fedayi San provides additional support inside the VAR room.