Who is Clement Turpin? Meet the referee officiating Norway vs England FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final
Clement Turpin is the most experienced French referee at the World Cup 2026.
Frenchman Clement Turpin is confirmed to officiate the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 clash between Norway and England. He will be managing his fourth game of the tournament. The Frenchman is considered one of the most experienced referees in modern football.
Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pagès will be his primary assistants for the game. The trio have worked together for several high-profile matches in the World Cup, UEFA Champions League and the EUROs.
The match will be iconic. It will mark the meeting between Clement Turpin and Thomas Tuchel. They will share the pitch after a highly controversial UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash between Bayern Munich and Manchester City in 2023.
Clement Turpin made several controversial decisions in the game, including giving out five yellow cards in the first half. Also a highly debated red card for Dayot Upamecano, which was overturned by VAR. Frustrated by the decisions, Thomas Tuchel, then manager of Bayern Munich, applauded the referee, prompting Turpin to send him off after continuous protests.
After the game, Tuchel was furious at the referee, giving him a harsh “1/10” rating. However, the pair have moved on from the incident. Tuchel referred to him as a “top referee” in a recent interview in 2026, indicating no tension exists between the pair.
Who is Clement Turpin?
Clement Turpin was born in Oullins, France, in 1982. He scripted Ligue 1 history in 2008, becoming the youngest referee to officiate a game in the league in 2008 at the age of 26. In 2010, he received his FIFA badge and his UEFA Elite Group referee badge in 2018.
Since then, he has been in 281 Ligue 1 games and 49 Champions League games. He has managed several high-profile matches in his career. The French referee officiated the UEFA Champions League Final in 2022 and the UEFA Europa League in 2021.
On the international stage, he was the main referee for the opening clash of the UEFA EURO 2024 between Germany and Scotland.
Clement Turpin’s World Cup Record?
By officiating the Norway vs England game, he will be managing his ninth game at the World Cup. It will make him one of the most decorated referees of the tournament. By his inclusion in the newest edition, he joins Joël Quiniou in an elite list by becoming the only two French referees to manage in three different World Cups.
His first World Cup match as the head referee came in the FIFA World Cup 2018 group stages. He officiated Uruguay’s 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia. In the FIFA World Cup 2026, he has refereed three games so far.
The referee has officiated England’s 4-2 win over Croatia, a 0-0 draw between Paraguay and Australia, and Colombia’s 1-0 win over Ghana in the Round of 32.
Who will officiate the Norway vs England FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final?
Clement Turpin will referee the match. He is the most experienced French referee.
Whom will the winner of Norway vs England face?
The winner will face either Argentina or Switzerland in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final.
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Basil Elias Benoy is a sports journalist with a deep passion for football, cricket, and kabaddi. A devoted supporter of Manchester United and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he combines his academic background in Economics with hands-on experience in sports media. His work ranges from professional sports content creation for digital platforms to on-ground reporting for Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters.