Veteran referee Clement Turpin will be tasked with keeping things under control in Match 61. Paraguay must win to keep its 2026 World Cup hopes alive, while Australia is looking to capitalize on a massive opportunity to advance.
Turpin already has one 2026 World Cup match under his belt. He didn’t issue a single yellow or red card during England’s 4-2 win over Croatia on June 17, despite the teams combining for 22 fouls.
Paraguay sits in a good spot in the FIFA rankings after a win against Turkey. On the other side, Australia needs to seize its chance to reach the knockout stage, even though the situation in Group D remains incredibly tight.
Clement Turpin’s experience
Turpin is a seasoned official with 148 matches under his belt, averaging 3.33 yellow cards and just 0.16 red cards per game across all competitions and domestic leagues.
Beyond his recent assignment between England and Croatia, he also refereed three matches during the 2022 World Cup, where he averaged 1.33 yellow cards per game and didn’t hand out a single red. He clearly prefers to let the game flow rather than constantly blowing the whistle.
Will physicality play a role?
Paraguay accumulated seven yellow cards and one red card over its first two group stage matches, including one for Miguel Almiron after he covered his mouth while exchanging words with an opponent. Paraguay plays a highly physical style, which could be a major factor in this matchup.
Meanwhile, Australia with only four yellow cards, all coming against the United States. That was a tough game for the Socceroos, where frustration forced them into a tight, desperate defense that led to a high number of fouls.
