Colombia and Ghana face off at the imposing Kansas City Stadium (Arrowhead Stadium) in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Both look for a victory to avoid being knocked out of the competition. The refereeing crew is already confirmed for the encounter.
For this crucial single-elimination match, FIFA decided to trust European officiating, appointing France’s Clement Turpin to manage the game. Turpin takes on his third challenge in this World Cup, having previously refereed the matchups between Paraguay vs Australia and England vs Croatia.
The complete officiating crew is listed below:
- Referee: Clement Turpin (France)
- Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Danos (France)
- Assistant Referee 2: Benjamin Pages (France)
- Fourth Official: Alejandro Hernandez (Spain)
- Fifth Official: Jose Enrique Naranjo (Spain)
- VAR: Jerome Brisard (France)
- AVAR: Willy Delajod (France)
- SVAR: Fu Ming (China)
Career and rise of Clement Turpin
Born on May 16, 1982, in Oullins, France, Turpin is 44 years old and boasts an extensive career filled with success. He made his debut in Ligue 1, the top tier of French soccer, in 2008, quickly becoming one of the country’s top officials thanks to his composure, his calm demeanor in managing matches, and his excellent positioning.
Referee Clement Turpin.
Thanks to his undeniable performances, he received the coveted FIFA international badge in 2010. From that moment, his experience outside French borders grew continuously: he officiated in multiple editions of the Euros and previous World Cups, and was the head referee in iconic club finals such as the UEFA Europa League and the 2022 Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Recognized as the world’s best
Beyond his assignments in the most high-stakes matches of the Old Continent, Turpin’s prestige recently reached legendary status. In 2025, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) officially named him the best referee in the world, highlighting his precision in decision-making, his ability to absorb pressure in do-or-die matches, and his impeccable application of the rules.
This major recognition did nothing but revalidate his position as a guarantee of quality for FIFA when assigning the highest-voltage matches in this World Cup. This indicates that the match between Colombia and Ghana is in good hands.
