Dutch referee Danny Makkelie to officiate USA vs Paraguay in World Cup Group D opener

Danny Makkelie will referee USA vs Paraguay in tonight’s World Cup 2026 Group D opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with fellow Dutchmen Hessel Steegstra and Jan De Vries serving as his assistants and Japan’s Yusuke Araki as fourth official.

The appointment brings proven World Cup experience to the touchline. Makkelie officiated two group stage matches at the 2022 Qatar tournament, most notably Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Poland — a game in which Lionel Messi missed a 39th-minute penalty, the only match of that World Cup in which he failed to register a goal contribution. Makkelie also took charge of the Spain vs Germany group stage clash in Qatar, which ended 1-1 through goals from Álvaro Morata and Niclas Füllkrug. He distributed six yellow cards across those two assignments.

The Dutchman has prior history with the USMNT, having refereed a 2015 friendly between the United States and Germany that ended 2-1 to the Americans.

Tonight’s Group D fixture carries significant weight for the co-hosts. The USA enter on the back of a 2-1 friendly win over Paraguay in November 2025, though their recent form has been modest — two wins from their last five matches. Paraguay arrive in slightly better shape, having claimed three victories from their previous five games.

The co-host status brings its own pressure for the United States, who will be eager to set the tone for a tournament they are sharing with Canada and Mexico. A strong opening result against Paraguay would provide an early statement of intent in what promises to be a competitive group.