Clément Turpin to referee England and Croatia clash at the World Cup
French referee Clément Turpin will be in the spotlight right from the start of England’s and Croatia’s campaigns at the 2026 World Cup. According to announcements by British media ahead of the match, FIFA has appointed Turpin as the main referee for the Group L encounter to be played on June 17 at Dallas Stadium. It is a duel with strong competitive and symbolic weight: England and Croatia meet again on the big stage, eight years after the World Cup semi-final in Russia and five years after their head-to-head meeting at Euro 2020. FIFA’s Match Centre lists the match as game 22 of the first round of the competition, in a group that also includes Ghana and Panama. For both national teams, the start of the tournament carries great importance because, in the new expanded World Cup format, every point in the group can prove decisive for the path in the knockout stage.
Turpin’s appointment is being followed especially closely by the English public because of his previous episode with Thomas Tuchel, the current England manager. British SunSport recalled that in 2023, while he was in charge of Bayern Munich, Tuchel sharply criticised Turpin after the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City. Bayern were eliminated from the competition, Tuchel was sent off during the match for dissent, and after the game, according to reports from that period, he rated Turpin’s performance extremely poorly and called it unacceptable for that level of competition. That statement does not now change the formal framework of the match, but it adds another layer to the story of England’s first appearance at the tournament. Ahead of the encounter, there is no indication that the earlier conflict should affect the official protocol, but it is clear that every major decision by Turpin will be viewed through the magnifying glass of a major tournament and an already existing public debate.
An experienced referee with UEFA competition finals behind him
Clément Turpin belongs to the group of the most experienced European referees of his generation. Back in 2022, UEFA officially announced that its Referees Committee had appointed him as the main referee for the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France. In the same announcement, UEFA stated that Turpin had been an international referee since 2010 and that the final in Saint-Denis was his first Champions League final as the main referee, after he had served as the fourth official in the final of the same competition in 2018. Matches of that kind are part of a résumé that explains why Turpin remains among the referees entrusted with the highest-level fixtures.
His experience does not apply only to club football. For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA published a wider list of match officials including 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials from all six confederations and 50 national associations. Turpin is part of the European refereeing group on that list, and his return to a global tournament fits into FIFA’s practice of combining referees with vast experience and those receiving their first opportunity at this level. According to SunSport, Turpin is expected to be accompanied in Dallas by his French assistant referees Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pagès, while Mexican official Katia García is listed as the fourth official. Such a refereeing team also reflects the international character of a tournament being played in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America.
Turpin’s style is often described as authoritative and formal, which in high-stakes matches is often just as important as the technical accuracy of decisions itself. At major competitions, referees have to control the tempo, communication with captains, the behaviour of the benches and the pressure from the stands, and the England versus Croatia match contains all the elements that can raise the emotional temperature. On one side is a national team with huge expectations and a manager whose past with Turpin is already a topic in media previews. On the other side is Croatia, a team with long experience of playing high-pressure matches and with players accustomed to the competitive tension of World Cups and European Championships. That is precisely why the refereeing standard in the first duels, fouls in midfield and disciplinary decisions may play an important role in the development of the match.
Tuchel’s criticism from 2023 has become a topic again
The central reason why Turpin’s appointment has attracted additional attention is an event from April 2023, when Bayern Munich were eliminated by Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals. The second leg in Munich ended 1:1, after City had won the first match 3:0. L'Équipe reported at the time that Tuchel openly attacked Clément Turpin’s refereeing after the elimination, while German and British media carried his very harsh assessments. Ahead of the England versus Croatia match, SunSport again brought up Tuchel’s statement in which he described the French referee as “absolutely horrific” and gave him a “1/10” rating. In the same match, Turpin showed Tuchel a second yellow card, which forced the then Bayern coach to leave the technical area.
For the current clash, what can be verified in the official and sporting context is more important than the media tension itself. Tuchel has since changed roles and now leads England, a national team arriving at the World Cup with major ambitions. In its preview of the encounter, England Football states that Harry Kane and Luka Modrić are the leaders of the two teams, which further underlines the weight of the match. The refereeing history between the manager and the referee is therefore interesting, but it does not change the basic fact that Turpin is a referee with long service at UEFA and FIFA level. FIFA’s system for delegating match officials is based on assessments of form, experience, physical preparation and suitability for individual matches, not on media narratives surrounding individual participants.
Still, the football context cannot be completely separated from psychology. Managers at major tournaments often carefully choose the tone of their communication with referees, especially when there is a previous history of disagreement. In Dallas, Tuchel will have to bear in mind that every reaction on the touchline may be interpreted through the events of 2023. Turpin, on the other hand, will have to maintain the same standard for both teams and prevent the match from turning into a duel about the refereeing. Such situations are not unusual at major competitions, but they require discipline from all actors: referees, players, captains and coaching staffs.
England and Croatia open a group with plenty of history
FIFA’s Match Centre states that the England versus Croatia match will be played on June 17, 2026, at Dallas Stadium, as part of Group L of the World Cup. The Croatian Football Federation previously confirmed that Croatia will play against England, Panama and Ghana in the group, while the final list of players for the tournament, published on June 1, confirmed that head coach Zlatko Dalić has at his disposal a team that combines experienced leaders and younger players. In its own presentation of the Croatian squad, FIFA highlighted precisely that combination of experience and youth, with an emphasis on Luka Modrić and Ivan Perišić as players appearing once again on the biggest stage. For Croatia, it is a continuation of their consistency in appearances at major competitions, but also a new test for a generation that, after Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, has set high expectations.
England enter the match with a new manager on the world stage and captain Harry Kane as one of their main pillars. England Football states that this will be England’s 17th appearance at World Cups and their eighth in a row, which is the national team’s longest run since missing the 1994 tournament. The same source points out that England and Croatia have so far played 11 matches against each other, with six English wins, three Croatian wins and two draws. In major tournament matches, the history is particularly rich: Croatia won 2:1 after extra time in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, while England won 1:0 at Wembley in the European Championship group stage in 2021.
For Croatia, the statistic cited by England Football is especially important: the national team has remained unbeaten in group matches at the last two World Cups, with four wins and two draws. That continuity shows that Zlatko Dalić’s team knows how to manage the first part of a tournament, even though the squad and player roles are gradually changing. England, meanwhile, according to the same preview, enter the tournament after qualifying in which they recorded all eight wins and did not concede a goal. Those figures show that Dallas will not simply host two national teams with big names, but two teams accustomed to controlling matches and maintaining competitive stability.
Dallas Stadium as a grand stage for the first test
Dallas Stadium is the official name FIFA uses for the host stadium of the match, and it is a venue in the wider Dallas area that has been adapted for the World Cup in line with FIFA’s rules on commercial naming. Local Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth previously reported that the stadium known by its commercial name AT&T Stadium is being used during the tournament under the name Dallas Stadium, because FIFA applies its own rules on venue names and sponsorship rights for World Cups. In sporting terms, it is one of the most recognisable American arenas and one of the stadiums that, because of its capacity, infrastructure and host status, is expected to play an important role in the tournament.
For the England versus Croatia match, that means a powerful atmosphere, but also the specific conditions of a large American stadium. The 2026 World Cup is the first edition with 48 national teams and 104 matches, and FIFA has highlighted 16 stadiums in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America in its tournament preview. In such a format, the schedule, travel and playing conditions become an additional competitive factor. Opening the group on neutral ground in Dallas is therefore not just the first match, but also the beginning of adaptation to a tournament spread across a large geographical area.
For Croatia and England, that first encounter can set the tone for the rest of the group. After their head-to-head meeting come matches against Panama, Ghana and other opponents from the group, and every early result affects calculations, rotations and pressure in the closing stages of the group. In the expanded format, progression is not limited only to the top two teams in each group, because the best third-placed teams also advance, but an opening victory still significantly eases the path towards the knockout stage. That is exactly why the match refereed by Turpin carries greater significance than an ordinary tournament opener: it can determine the position of both national teams in one of the most interesting groups of the first round.
Technology and refereeing decisions under additional scrutiny
The 2026 World Cup also brings a broader technological framework in which the work of referees will be more visible than before. In June, FIFA announced that advanced semi-automated offside technology would be introduced at the tournament, which should enable quicker decisions in offside situations. The same source states that stabilised cameras worn by referees are also being used, developed after earlier testing, in order to give viewers and television partners better insight into events from the referee’s perspective. This does not mean that technology removes human judgment, but it changes the way decisions are explained, analysed and perceived.
For Turpin and his refereeing team, this is an important context. Major matches today are not officiated only on the pitch; almost every questionable situation is immediately dissected through television footage, VAR communication, social media and expert analysis. FIFA’s announcement of the match officials list emphasises that the most extensive group of officials was selected for the tournament in line with the scale of the competition. In practice, this means that the main referee remains the face of the decision, but behind him operates a complex system of assistants, video officials and technological support. In a match with major expectations, such as England against Croatia, that system may be decisive in moments involving penalty kicks, offsides, possible red cards or incidents away from the ball.
At the same time, technology does not reduce the importance of a clear standard. Players and coaches most often do not complain only about an individual decision, but about the impression that the standard is changing during the match. Turpin will therefore have to establish the line of permitted contact from the outset, especially in duels in midfield and at set pieces, where Croatia traditionally seek rhythm through possession and the experience of their midfield, while England can use physical strength and speed in transition. If the refereeing standard is clear, the match has a better chance of remaining within a sporting framework. If decisions become the main topic, the earlier history between Tuchel and Turpin could gain space that neither team needs ahead of the start of the tournament.
A match that goes beyond the story of the referee
Although Turpin’s appointment has opened an interesting media topic, the England versus Croatia duel itself carries enough sporting substance even without the refereeing subtext. Croatia enter the tournament as a national team with proven continuity at World Cups, and the Croatian Football Federation’s final list confirms that Dalić continues to rely on a core of experienced players while gradually introducing new solutions. England, according to England Football’s official preview, are appearing with captain Kane and a team that, under Tuchel, wants to turn quality and expectations into a concrete result. The first match is therefore at the same time a test of form, character and tournament maturity.
For Turpin, the meeting in Dallas will be another high-profile match in a career filled with major European and world assignments. For Tuchel, it will be an opportunity to keep the focus on the team, not on the referee with whom he had an open conflict in the past. For Croatia, the clash will be a test against one of the strongest opponents in the group and a chance to confirm right from the start that experience from previous World Cups still has competitive value. In such a framework, the refereeing story may be an important introduction, but the outcome will still depend on what England and Croatia show on the pitch.
Sources:
- FIFA Match Centre – official data on the England - Croatia match in Group L of the 2026 World Cup (link)
- FIFA – announcement on the appointment of match officials for the 2026 World Cup and the total number of referees, assistants and video officials (link)
- FIFA Innovation – information on advanced semi-automated offside technology and referee cameras for the 2026 World Cup (link)
- England Football – official preview of the England and Croatia match, head-to-head record and Group L context (link)
- Croatian Football Federation – final squad list of the Croatian national team for the 2026 World Cup (link)
- UEFA – official announcement on the appointment of Clément Turpin as referee of the 2022 Champions League final and his international status (link)
- L'Équipe – report on Tuchel’s criticism of Turpin after the Bayern Munich - Manchester City match in 2023 (link)
- SunSport – preview of the refereeing team for England - Croatia and reminder of Tuchel’s previous assessment of Turpin (link)
- Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth – explanation of why AT&T Stadium is being used under the name Dallas Stadium during the World Cup (link)