A Dutch referee team will be active at the Club World Cup this summer as Danny Makkelie and his assistants travel to the United States.
“This appointment is truly fantastic,” Makkelie responded enthusiastically to the KNVB. “The Club World Cup brings together the best teams from every continent, each with their own playing styles and unique football cultures. It is precisely this diversity that makes refereeing this tournament both a challenge and a great privilege.”
Makkelie calls the upcoming Club World Cup ‘extra special’ because of the new format. There will be 32 teams participating in the tournament and there will also be experiments with new rules that should limit the time-wasting of goalkeepers. The referees will also wear bodycams, of which the images can be broadcast live.
“I am extremely happy and proud to be part of such a beautiful and prestigious tournament, organised by FIFA at the highest level, together with my team,” concludes Makkelie. The Dutch referee will bring assistants Hessel Steegstra and Jan de Vries, as well as VAR Rob Dieperink.
