Mark Clattenburg believes an Italian referee is likely to be chosen for the 2026 World Cup final, and says the decision would upset a lot of people if FIFA goes down that route again.
The former Premier League and FIFA referee made the claim on the latest episode of the Daily Mail’s Whistleblowers podcast, pointing to the current influence of Italian officials in the game and the way FIFA has handled refereeing appointments at this World Cup.
Clattenburg: “it could be an Italian referee”
Clattenburg said: “I am hearing again that it could be an Italian referee.”
He added that the prospect would not be well received by everyone, warning it would “upset a lot of people”.
The broader point he was making was about balance and perception. FIFA, he said, has to keep all six confederations happy, and a return to an Italian referee for the biggest match would raise obvious questions about whether other officials are being overlooked.
Why the Italian link matters
Clattenburg’s comments come at a time when Italian officials hold prominent positions in football refereeing through Pierluigi Collina and Roberto Rosetti. He also linked that power to the likelihood of an Italian being trusted with the final again.
“Infantino's Italian, Collina's Italian. Most of the power in the refereeing and wider football world is Italian,” he said.
That is the backdrop to his warning that FIFA needs to avoid giving the impression that one group dominates the process. “If we go Italian again, are we saying there’s no other referees but Italian?” he said.
Maurizio Mariani’s tournament so far
The clearest Italian candidate in this World Cup is Maurizio Mariani, who has already officiated three matches. The 44-year-old has taken charge of Saudi Arabia’s draw with Uruguay, Colombia’s win over DR Congo, and Brazil’s victory over Japan in the Round of 32.
That gives him a strong platform, and Clattenburg made clear he is not questioning whether an Italian referee deserves a major appointment. “I am not saying an Italian doesn’t deserve it,” he said, “but there's an awful lot of talented referees that could referee that match.”
FIFA under scrutiny
The discussion also sits against a wider debate about FIFA and fairness at this tournament. The article says FIFA has faced accusations of alleged preferential treatment, and Clattenburg pointed to that context as a reason the final appointment would be heavily scrutinised.
It is also the kind of issue that takes on extra weight because of the politics around elite refereeing. When the stakes are that high, the final appointment is never just about form. It is about trust, balance and whether the choice feels credible to every part of the world game.
Clattenburg knows what that stage feels like better than most. He refereed the EURO final in 2016, and his comments suggest that the road to the 2026 World Cup final could already be shaping into one of FIFA’s most sensitive decisions.
