Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg to officiate Curacao vs Ivory Coast World Cup Group E decider

Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg has been appointed to take charge of the World Cup Group E finale between Curacao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, with compatriots Mahbod Beigi and Andreas Soderkvist serving as his assistants. Switzerland’s Sandro Scharer will act as fourth official, with countryman Stephane De Almeida as reserve assistant referee. The VAR officials are yet to be confirmed.

This will be Nyberg’s second match at the tournament, having previously officiated Ghana’s 1-0 victory over Panama in Group L, a game in which he issued three yellow cards.

The 37-year-old has steadily built his reputation since taking charge of Allsvenskan matches in 2013. In the Champions League league phase last season, he refereed Newcastle United’s 2-1 home defeat by Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund. He also oversaw Aston Villa’s 4-0 rout of Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final second leg, awarding a penalty via VAR for a foul by Nikola Milenkovic on Pau Torres.

Nyberg is generally reluctant to reach for his cards — he has handed out just 59 bookings and one dismissal across 19 games since the start of the 2025/26 season, according to Transfermarkt. The exception came last November in Dublin, when he sent off Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo for elbowing Republic of Ireland defender Dara O’Shea during World Cup qualifying.

The stakes in Philadelphia are considerable. Curacao, making their World Cup debut, secured their first point at the finals with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador and a victory over Ivory Coast would make them the lowest-ranked nation ever to advance to the knockout stage. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, are seeking to qualify from the group stage for the first time. Even in defeat, the Elephants could still progress as one of the best third-placed teams.