Szymon Marciniak Named Main Referee for UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany

UEFA has announced the selection of Szymon Marciniak, a Polish referee, as the main referee for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. The list of officials chosen by UEFA includes a total of 18 European referees, along with Facundo Tello of Argentina as part of the close collaboration between UEFA and CONMEBOL.

In addition to the main referees, UEFA has also selected 20 video assistant referee (VAR) specialists for the tournament. Among them is Tomasz Kwiatkowski of Poland, who was previously removed from a Champions League game by UEFA. The group of 89 referees for Euro 2024 consists of 19 referees, 38 assistants, 12 fourth referees, and the 20 VAR match officials.

UEFA has expressed full confidence in the chosen referees, stating that they have consistently performed at the highest level in UEFA's top competitions. Spain's Jesús Gil Manzano will be the only main referee from Spain at the tournament, while Marciniak, who refereed the Champions League final last season, is expected to be among the contenders to officiate the Euro 2024 final.

However, the selection has faced some criticism due to the absence of any women among the referees, assistants, video review specialists, and fourth officials for the tournament. Additionally, one of the German referees, Felix Zwayer, has been the subject of comments about integrity by Jude Bellingham in 2021.

Why this matters: The selection of referees for a major international tournament like the UEFA Euro 2024 is vital in ensuring fair play and maintaining the integrity of the competition. The inclusion of VAR specialists and the collaboration with CONMEBOL referees highlight the evolving nature of refereeing in modern football.

Five Polish referees, including Marciniak, assistants Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik, and Bartosz Frankowski and Tomasz Kwiatkowski for the VAR system, will be officiating the tournament. The Polish national team, led by coach Michał Probierz, will compete in Euro 2024 against the Netherlands, Austria, and France. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny has announced that Euro 2024 will be his last major event with the national team, while the future of star striker Robert Lewandowski remains uncertain.

Key Takeaways

• Szymon Marciniak of Poland named main referee for UEFA Euro 2024.
• 20 VAR specialists selected, including Tomasz Kwiatkowski of Poland.
• Jesús Gil Manzano of Spain the only Spanish main referee at the tournament.
• Criticism over lack of women referees and inclusion of Felix Zwayer.
• 5 Polish officials, including Marciniak, to officiate at Euro 2024.