Referees and main/lead VARs for the tournament are listed below. There are also a half dozen dedicated fourth officials, five "offside VARs" (which is half of what an AVAR is in domestic competitions--kind of weird there are only five for 51 matches, but whatever), and 38 ARs who are paired with the 19 referees. But for assignment-discussing purposes, the referees and lead VARs are going to be what's interesting 99% of the time, so they are the ones I have listed here. Perhaps relevant for future discussions is the fact that all video match officials will be based in and perform their functions from Nyon and, therefore, do not have to travel. REFEREES BRYCH (GER) CAKIR (TUR) CERRO GRANDE (ESP) EKBERG (SWE) GRINFEELD (ISR) HATEGAN (ROU) KARASEV (RUS) KOVACS (ROU) KUIPERS (NED) MAKKELLIE (NED) MATEU LAHOZ (ESP) OLIVER (ENG) ORSATO (ITA) RAPALLINI (ARG) SOARES DIAS (POR) SIEBERT (GER) TAYLOR (ENG) TURPIN (FRA) VINCIC (SVN) VARS ATTWELL (ENG) BLOM (NED) BRISARD (FRA) DANKERT (GER) DINGERT (GER) DI BELLO (ITA) FRITZ (GER) GIL (POL) HERNANDEZ HERNANDEZ (ESP) IRRATI (ITA) KAVANAGH (ENG) LETEXIER (FRA) MARTINEZ MUNUERA (ESP) PINHIERO (POR) SANCHEZ MARTINEZ (ESP) VALERI (ITA) VAN BOEKEL (NED) ------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY OF REFEREE APPOINTMENTS Match 1, Group A - Turkey : Italy - MAKKELIE (NED) Match 2, Group A - Wales : Switzerland - TURPIN (FRA) Match 3, Group B - Denmark : Finland - TAYLOR (ENG) Match 4, Group B - Belgium : Russia - MATEU LAHOZ (ESP) Match 5, Group C - Netherlands : Ukraine - BRYCH (GER) Match 6, Group C - Austria : North Macedonia - EKBERG (SWE) Match 7, Group D - England : Croatia - ORSATO (ITA) Match 8, Group D - Scotland : Czech Republic - SIEBERT (GER) Match 9, Group E - Spain : Sweden - VINCIC (SVN) Match 10, Group E - Poland : Slovakia - HATEGAN (ROU) Match 11, Group F - Hungary : Portugal - CAKIR (TUR) Match 12, Group F - France : Germany - DEL CERRO GRANDE (ESP) Match 13, Group A - Turkey : Wales - DIAS (POR) Match 14, Group A - Italy : Switzerland - KARASEV (RUS) Match 15, Group B - Finland : Russia - MAKKELIE (NED)
Here is a link to all the ESPN telecast information including the streams: https://www.espn.com/soccer/uefa-eu...-fixtures-schedulematch-datestimes-and-venues They give the times in eastern daylight here in US and Central Europe Time which is EDT +6.
Makkelie would have been my choice for the opener too. Notedly, unlike the opener for eg. WC 2010/2018, this is far from a technically weak match, and TURITA is a prestigious appointment in it's own right. I think Makkelie was a sensible choice on two levels: 1) the opener is a signal for the way that the games will be officiated in the tournament, so as well as a good performance, you want a 'representative' / middle-ground referee stylistically. I think Makkelie satisfies that quite well, with his lenient approach to disciplinary measures, unique elegant background-based style, and 'common-sensical' way of taking big decisions. On his best days, I think the Dutchman's foul detection is AMAZING, and I hope that plays true on Friday evening. 2) we all know that Rosetti is verrrrry careful with his appointments to Italia(n) teams, Makkelie is surely the name (together with Brych), who will generate the least headlines in the Italian media before a whistle blown. It will be interesting to see how this storyline progresses as the tournament goes on. With regards to point one, Kevin Blom is under big pressure to represent the competition's line of "clear and obvious", but he is someone UEFA rightly trust to do that with his experienced team. Frappart as F/O is a nice choice. Good luck to all the match officials, we are behind you!
I expected Brych, but not a huge surprise at all. It does dawn on me that the EURO opening referee just isn't as big of a deal (or as remembered) as the WC one. Perhaps it is because the standards across UEFA are already more uniform and there's less of a need for a referee to truly "set the tone" in a way like it needs to be done across multiple confederations. But I had no chance of recalling that Kassai did the opener last time.
Edited the opening post to include a summary of appointments for the tournament. The first four are the type of assignments that probably weren't "predictable" (I would have got all four wrong) but all make sense in hindsight. Clear that Rosetti wants big names for the opening few days. And with third place games going through, there's very few clear "lesser games" so not as much need/desire to try to fit your second or third tier referees on the perceived easier matches until some are played. Also, each of the four has their own high pressure angle to them. Makkelie on the opener, after likely being at least discussed this season for a UCL or UEL Final, makes sense. Turpin, one of your top performers, following up on a match that definitely could be a battle for a qualification spot, also makes sense. Taylor, an English ref, on a Nordic derby and a debut for Finland also is sensible, though maybe Taylor would have expected a more high-profile match personally. And Mateu Lahoz going to St. Petersburg to oversee a tournament favorite playing an away game... well, that makes sense, too! Will be very interesting to see where guys like Siebert, Karasev and Ekberg slot in. If every referee is to get at least two whistles (not strictly possible in group stage, but close--19 refs for 36 matches), you'd think you need to use them early so as to not be handcuffed into having to use them on a critical tie on matchday 3 if you don't have to do so. And that's not to slight any of them, but it is clear there are some obvious rankings here and you want your best rated referees available for some of the biggest matchday 3 games. Using many of them in the first two days is an interesting approach.
Not true on Brych. He’s not well liked in Italy at all. The Gazzetta wrote an article on his bias against Serie A in the CL https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.gaz...tus-espulsione-ronaldo-2901139540136_amp.html
Day 3 up. Ekberg is the first "second tier" guy used on Austria - North Macedonia, Brych gets Netherlands - Ukraine, and Orsato gets the rematch of the World Cup semifinal.
And that's the challenge here for Rosetti et al. The Euros generally don't have many of those "lesser" games you get in a WC, but in this instance it will be even more difficult to find them. With four out of six 3rd-place sides going through, the chances of a team going through with only 3 points is quite high. In fact, it will happen. You might even see a team sneak through on 2 points! So, even a MD3 game with a team on 6 pts against one on zero is not a "lesser game", as a victory for the team with zero will still likely put them through. In short, it is very possible that every team will still have a chance to qualify on MD3, and the "lesser games" will actually be those games between sides who have each already qualified. So, for instance, you could easily get the situation where Portugal v France is a "meaningless game", but Germany v Hungary is a massive one. So, trying to put too much thought into forward planning at the group stage is a pointless exercise. You just need to pick the right guy for each match and see how it plays out. Keeping your "top guys" for marquee MD3 match-ups is foolish, as those games may not be where you need the top performers on MD3.
Love reading you guys posts. Got a question. The euro site says 18 refs and does not list the one from Argentina. He seems like a fish out of water anyway. Anyone want to clear up mi ignorance? This would allow ever ref to have 2 matches in the group stage if the bosses want that.
Just to be clear, here is my link showing 18 not 19 referees. https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/...2-515e3a43402c-1000--every-euro-2020-referee/ And sorry for the bad grammar in the other post. I was getting on a plane and was running out of time before takeoff.
It does seem odd that UEFA would not even make a reference to the Argentine referee (name escapes me right now) who is part of the UEFA/CONMEBOL exchange. I know a UEFA referee is working at the Copa America as part of the program.
A little. But again, assignments have to be spread out. An argument could be made both teams are likely advancing anyway so why use a referee you would want to use on one of these teams later? There’s no right or wrong answer to how this goes. Look at Group B now. All matches are huge. Finland-Russia has advancement and political implications. Probably a big name despite two “lesser” teams. And handling Denmark in a must-win after the Eriksen episode? Probably the same.
Makes sense. So Kuipers may be held for Russia v Finland. I seem to remember y’all talking him up in past big events. Also did the referee named Erikkson I believe it was retire (similar to the Denmark player)? I don’t see him here on this list.
I would be surprised if we don't see Brych or Kuipers on the England vs Scotland game. It may not be the biggest in terms of FIFA rankings, but in terms of the politics, history and rivalry, it's arguably the biggest game to get of the group stage without taking qualification into consideration.
UEFA seems to love putting Spanish or Italian referees on matches with teams from the British Isles. Mateu Lahoz would have exactly the right amount of rest and he'd be coming off a successful UCL with two EPL teams. So...
Could Del Cerro Grande also be a type of "next generation test" assignment? I've heard rumblings on some podcasts that Mateu Lahoz could retire after the Euros, and I believe he would reach Spain's retirement age in the next year anyway. This kind of game would be a way to see if DCG can be trusted with a marquee type of matchup. Finland-Russia screams Kuipers to me. He's the type of personality the can work through matches with outside drama associated with them.
Carlos del Cerro Grande to FRAGER is smart appointing IMO: - he certainly has the level to succeed in this game - if he does well, great! - if not, well, UEFA could do without him later, better that than taking a risk on a huge name One of things that irks me since Rosetti has taken over is lazily appointing referees to four, five CL GS matches rather than the previous three etc; I hope Makkelie's appointment in FINRUS is not a thesis for him doing sth similar at the EURO. Çakır, HUNPOR, full stadium in Budapest - that could be fun!
Kuipers' "normal VAR," van Boekel, is paired with Makkelie on this match. And Makkelie is obviously getting a match before Kuipers. Seems to indicate one of three things: 1) This was supposed to be Kuipers but there's an issue. 2) Blom was punished for "missing" the handball in the opener. 3) Absolutely nothing. Will be interesting to find out soon. But I have heard rumors that Rosetti actually wanted the penalty in the first match (which, if true, would make us all sound like idiots later... also, if true, why would he not want that out publicly now?) so paying attention to Blom's assignments now seem somewhat important. Either way, Makkelie working two matches before several get their first is obviously noteworthy. If there isn't a problem with Kuipers, got to believe he's being saved for either England-Scotland or Portugal-Germany. Though, Spain-Poland in Spain could be an oddly tricky affair, too. Worth noting that Oliver and Kovacs are fourth officials on Wednesday. So the earliest either could work is Friday--maybe not even until Saturday. Kovacs is in St. Petersburg and Sweden-Slovakia is 2 days later in that city, so that seems possible. Oliver is in Rome, though, and he's not getting Italy v Wales so there's got to be something else for him on deck, but other than Hungary v France, I don't see it.