Colombia and Ghana are preparing to battle it out for a spot in the World Cup round of 16, where the winner will take on Switzerland in Kansas City on July 7.
The match between Colombia and Ghana will be officiated by Clement Turpin, a highly respected and seasoned referee from France.
Nestor Lorenzo’s Cafeteros have advanced to their third consecutive knockout appearance after finishing at the top of Group K ahead of Portugal.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Black Stars are making their third appearance in the latter stages of the tournament in 20 years, having secured one of the top eight third-placed finishes with four points from Group L.
The Kansas City Stadium will host this crucial encounter between the South American and African sides.
Turpin has been chosen to oversee the contest, bringing with him over a decade of experience. He has been on the FIFA international referees list since 2010 and joined UEFA’s Elite group of officials in 2012.
The French official has taken charge of 674 competitive matches, the majority of which have been in France’s Ligue 1. However, his experience extends to major international tournaments as well.
He has refereed at three World Cups, including two group-stage matches in the current edition, and has also been involved in the European Championship tournaments in 2021 and 2024.
Turpin has a strong track record in European finals, having officiated the 2021 Europa League final before taking charge of the Champions League final held in Paris the following year.
At 44 years old, Turpin is known for his composed approach to match management, averaging just over three yellow cards per game.
Assisting him for the Colombia vs Ghana clash will be fellow Frenchmen Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pages, forming part of a European officiating team for the intercontinental fixture.
Spanish officials Alejandro Hernandez and Jose Enrique Naranjo will serve as the fourth official and reserve assistant referee respectively for the match.
Switzerland await the winner of this encounter after securing a 2-0 victory over Algeria.
