Danny Makkelie Confirmed As Referee For USMNT Opener© Instagram
FIFA confirmed the officiating appointments for the opening round of fixtures earlier this week, and the man in the middle for the United States’ World Cup opener against Paraguay tonight at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California is Danny Makkelie of the Netherlands. Carlos del Cerro Grande of Spain serves as the VAR official. Kick-off is at 9 PM ET, 6 PM local time.
Who Is Danny Makkelie?
Danny Makkelie was born on June 5, 1983, in Vlaardingen, Netherlands. He has been on FIFA’s international list since 2012 and has spent the past decade working his way up to the biggest matches European football has to offer. The Champions League final in 2022 was his most prominent assignment before tonight, a chaotic evening in Paris where Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 and crowd trouble outside the Stade de France delayed kick-off significantly. The game itself was handled well. Nobody was talking about the referee when it finished, which is exactly what a referee wants.
At international level, he has officiated at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, taking charge of knockout matches at both tournaments. He refereed the Euro 2024 semi-final between Spain and France, one of the most watched matches of that tournament, and earned strong reviews for his performance. He has also taken charge of UEFA Nations League finals and multiple Champions League knockout ties, building a reputation as an official who keeps control without being overly interventionist.
His style is described by analysts as firm and authoritative. He allows physicality and does not reach for cards at the first sign of contact, which suits a match involving Paraguay, whose game under Gustavo Alfaro is built on defensive discipline and set pieces rather than open attacking play.
What to Expect Tonight
The USA have never lost a World Cup opening match, with a record of three wins and two draws in their five previous openers. Paraguay are making their sixth World Cup appearance and arrive on the back of a strong qualifying campaign in CONMEBOL, losing just three of their 18 games. Key attacker Julio Enciso remains a doubt with a thigh injury, which removes their most creative threat from the picture.
Makkelie takes charge at a venue that will be close to capacity. This is the biggest night American soccer has ever had. The referee from Vlaardingen is ready for it.
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