Danny Makkelie to referee France vs Sweden at World Cup 2026 in New Jersey

Danny Makkelie, one of UEFA’s most experienced international referees, has been appointed to officiate the France vs Sweden round-of-32 match at New York New Jersey Stadium at World Cup 2026.

The 43-year-old Dutchman is no stranger to high-stakes occasions. This will be his third match at the tournament, having already taken charge of two group stage fixtures involving the United States, Paraguay, Morocco, and Haiti. World Cup 2026 is his second World Cup overall and his fourth major tournament, following a career that includes the 2020 Europa League final — played behind closed doors — in which Sevilla defeated Inter Milan.

Makkelie, who is famously a serving police officer born in Curaçao, has been FIFA-listed since 2011. His two group stage outings in the United States produced nine yellow cards between them, a booking rate roughly 50% higher than his average across 24 Eredivisie matches last season. He is yet to show a red card at this World Cup, having sent a player off once every eight league games on average.

His appointment comes with some baggage. In the tournament’s opening match in Los Angeles, Makkelie issued a yellow card to US captain Tim Ream for a foul on Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón, only for the decision to be overturned via VAR — with Almirón booked for diving instead. The use of the ‘mistaken identity’ clause to effectively reverse a yellow card was widely criticised as an unintended extension of the rule’s original scope.

Makkelie’s assistants for the France vs Sweden tie are fellow Dutch officials Hessel Steegstra and Jan de Vries, with American referee Tori Penso serving as fourth official. Dennis Higler, also from the Netherlands, will lead the VAR operation from the review centre in Dallas.