UEFA Competitions: Referee discussions 2026-2027 [Rs]

This is the new thread for all UEFA competitions, including Champions League, in the upcoming season.

This news seems like a good place to start. Pretty surprising to me, given she's only 42: https://law5-theref.blogspot.com/2026/06/uefa-has-appointed-stephanie-frappart.html

 

I presume that is a given, but yes, the article doesn't explicitly state it.

 

Is there video of the ball going over the goal line?

 

We are sort of starting to get there on the 2030 thread in the WC forum, so figured I'd move this over here...

I feel like recently, every year we've been saying the options for the CL Final are more and more limited. I think a year ago, most of us were down to Oliver, Letexier or Makkelie heading into the season (and Makkelie was seemingly out of favor, but then maybe played himself back in some). Of course, by the end of the season, the top two candidates were conflicted and you end up with someone who probably wasn't on anyone's radar with Siebert.

Now? I think retirements and growth in stature (from this year's semis and the WC) means we maybe have the biggest pool yet? I think right now you have:

1) Oliver: stands head and shoulders above everyone else, but will always have the potential conflict.
2) Letexier: obviously a candidate given he already got EURO 24 Final, but there's also the counter-argument that he's young and doesn't need everything all at once, so not sure he vaults to #1 if PSG get eliminated (plus, they might not).
3) Makkelie: will linger until he either gets it or retires; I oscillate between which one will come first
4&5) Eskas & Nyberg: you have likely read my feelings on Eskas and his dynamic with Collina and FIFA. Not sure that translates directly to UEFA and Nyberg might actually be the preferred option now so this is a race to watch.
6) Pinheiro: an obvious name to watch now given the CL semi and WC quarter plus host nation duties in 2030. Would almost be surprised, now, if he doesn't get it in next 3-4 years.
7) Scharer: he's good and he's got 6-8 years left. I put him in the Pinheiro boat where he's a name to watch now.
8) Mariani: you never know. If he's seen as having "done enough" now he's probably at least always a darkhorse candidate before he retires.

I don't think there are other serious names out there for this season. But 8 plausible names is like 4-5 more than we've been having for the last few cycles.

 

It all depends on how italicized @RedStar91 wants to make the word "that" in his sentence.

Resume isn't everything. I'll stand by what I've always said on Vincic, he's really not *that* good. He's good enough to have been competent at the CL and UEFA national team level. And, since he got the CL final, I think he's been above average generally and has had a couple very good games.

But there are 6-8 UEFA referees I'd take over him on any given day right now.

And retired guys who didn't get the WC or EURO Final in the recent past, like Cakir, Eriksson, De Bleeckere, Orsato, Rocchi, Brych, Mateu Lahoz, etc. blow him away.

We don't even have to get into the question of whether or not he got the WC Final on "merit." Because it's a reality that no one can get it purely on merit. But it's just an observable fact that he's not in the upper echelon of the best UEFA referees the past decade or two. He's had way too many matches where he was mediocre and--I'll stress again--two major matches where he didn't realize he was giving a second yellow... the sort of mistake we'd be crucifying an aspiring regional referee for.

So is Vincic that good in the sense that he's a world class official who was very good when he was on and got to touch the absolute top of international football? Absolutely. Was he that good in the sense that he's a generational talent we'll never forget or a major figure in officiating who just dominated the landscape? No and that question isn't even close.

 

Oliver, Letexier, Turpin, Eskas, Siebert, Nyberg, Makkelie and Scharer are the obvious ones. Marciniak, too, though I have to admit I hadn't recalled he had not yet retired when I wrote that. I would also add Meler, who I personally have always rated. And now that I've seen enough of Mariani, even though he rose too quickly, I'd take him over Vincic on, say, a major derby match.

You think it's "too early" to say Eskas. I'm saying Meler! I imagine there are a lot of #2s and #3s rising up who I think are going to be much better than Vincic in the near-term.

There seems to be a very different approach between the two of us and, for what it's worth, I think it extends to the debate in the EPL thread and reaction to IFAB changes. This is meant as observation and not insult, but you appear to default to respecting or accepting the inherent learned wisdom of authority/experience, etc. than I do. In your mind (it would seem), because Vincic has all this experience and has had some good and important games at the highest level, he must be in the that top category. For me, I'm looking at raw talent and ability. I would have come out of this World Cup saying Barton is the best CONCACAF referee (yes, over Elfath) whether FIFA saw something in him or not. I'm not sure the reverse is true for you. Let's say Vincic didn't get the World Cup Final and, say, was just average on Ecuador-Mexico... are you actually typing today saying he's elite of elite? And, to be clear, I know at least one very keen observer (not me) who expected him to fail Ecuador-Mexico, not pass it with flying colors.

 

I don’t think it’s even a question, to be honest. Skomina was light years ahead of Vincic. This is a great point.