French refereeing is set to have a strong presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Clément Turpin and François Letexier selected to officiate at the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The two central referees, along with their respective assistants, recently participated in a media day at Clairefontaine organized by the French refereeing direction, offering insights into their preparation and mindset for the global event.
Turpin, 43, is poised to make history by becoming only the second French referee to officiate at three World Cups, following in the footsteps of Joël Quiniou who took charge of matches in 1986, 1990, and 1994. The experienced official shared that he has spoken with Quiniou about his experiences, particularly the 1994 tournament held in the United States. "I'm not chasing records," Turpin remarked, emphasizing his focus on performance rather than personal milestones.
For Letexier, 37, this will be his first World Cup experience, representing a significant step in his international career. The referee who took charge of the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England has developed a philosophy centered on learning from past challenges. "Each controversy or poor decision I've made has generated mental tools that allow me to improve," Letexier explained, highlighting his growth mindset.
Both referees will participate in a crucial preparatory training camp in Miami from May 31 to June 10, joining all other selected match officials before the tournament begins on June 11. Turpin expressed enthusiasm about this aspect of World Cup preparation, noting the opportunity to connect with referees from around the world. "One of the really positive things about a competition like this is that we'll live for several weeks with referees we don't know and whose personalities we'll discover," he said.
The French refereeing delegation includes Turpin's assistants Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pagès, as well as Letexier's team of Cyril Mugnier and Mehdi Rahmouni. Additionally, Willy Delajod has been selected as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for the tournament, joining Jérôme Brisard in that role, as announced by the FIFA Referees Committee.
Letexier's path to the World Cup includes valuable experience from the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina, where he and his team learned important lessons about maintaining focus. "With my assistants, we always try to keep notions of pleasure and performance at the heart of our functioning," he shared. "We concentrate on what we can control and focus on ourselves. That's the lesson we learned from the U-20 World Cup, where we had dispersed ourselves a bit too much."
When asked about the possibility of officiating another major final, Turpin acknowledged the practical consideration that France would need to be eliminated for him to take charge of the World Cup final. With characteristic humor, he smiled and declared: "I wish for Les Bleus to be in the final!" This comment reflects the delicate balance referees must maintain between their professional duties and national allegiances.
Letexier's appointment to the Euro 2024 final came after France's elimination in the semifinals by Spain, allowing him to take charge of Spain's victory over England. This experience of officiating at the highest level of European football has prepared him well for the World Cup stage, where he will look to apply the mental resilience he has cultivated throughout his career.
The upcoming World Cup represents a significant moment for French refereeing, with multiple officials selected for key roles in the tournament. Their preparation at Clairefontaine and the subsequent Miami training camp demonstrate the systematic approach being taken to ensure peak performance during the competition that runs from June 11 to July 19 across three North American nations.
Based on reporting from Foot - actualités, mercato, info & vidéo en continu.