As with every World Cup, there has been plenty of controversy about the referees. Even before the tournament began, headlines were made as Somali official Omar Artan was controversially denied entry to the US, while more drama has since happened on the pitch.

Among the most notable events, Portugal just about beat Croatia when VAR intervened to rule out Josko Gvardiol’s late goal by the finest of margins, and Egypt were left furious after some key decisions went against them as they lost 3-2 to Argentina.

English referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor will be glad to have largely stayed out of headlines so far this summer. They have perhaps been helped by the fact that they are banned from officiating games for one World Cup national team.

Why Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor Can’t Referee Two World Cup Teams

Michael Oliver via REUTERS/Valdrin Xhemaj

There are just two referees from England officiating games at the summer, Premier League duo Oliver and Taylor. The former actually had to pull out of his first appointment between Ivory Coast and Ecuador due to injury, but has since recovered and is set to take charge of Spain’s quarter-final against Belgium this week.

That game will see him take charge of his seventh World Cup match, more than any other Englishman but his options to oversee more games after that become quite limited. This is because all English referees, including Taylor, are not allowed to oversee games involving their own country, England (for obvious reasons), as well as Argentina matches.

As explained by The Athletic, Taylor was actually under consideration for the World Cup final at Qatar 2022 after an impressive tournament, but was unable to do so when Argentina advanced to meet France. This is due to political reasons, largely relating to the 1982 Falklands War between the United Kingdom and Argentina.

The conflict – which lasted 74 days and ended with an Argentine surrender as the islands were returned to British control – saw 649 members of the Argentine military, 255 members of the British military, and three Falkland Islanders all killed. Despite decades passing since the war, the subject is still contentious in Argentina, with current president Javier Milei strongly reaffirming his belief in Argentine sovereignty over the territories.

Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor Unlikely to Referee 2026 World Cup Final

Due to the FIFA rules for referee selection, both Englishmen Oliver and Taylor are unlikely to be selected to cover the 2026 World Cup final. They will only be considered if Norway (who play England in Saturday’s last-eight tie) or Switzerland (who play Argentina) advance to the tournament decider.

As well as not being able to take charge of games involving Argentina or England, the duo – as is the case with all referees at the World Cup – are not to officiate matches in their own nation’s pathway. As such, it seems unlikely that Oliver and Taylor will be selected to oversee either semi-final if Argentina or England get that far.

This is because they can’t take charge of the semi-final involving either one or both Argentina and England, while the other semi-final would have a team on the path to potentially meet the Three Lions in the final, which would compromise their status as a neutral party.

As the rules mean they can’t work on games which have direct implications for their own nationalities, Oliver and Taylor were not considered to officiate other matches in England’s Group L earlier in the tournament, including games between Croatia, Ghana and Panama, their group opponents.

Reputable Spanish journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon has provided a significant update on Manchester United’s pursuit of Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.

The Red Devils are in the market for a midfielder this summer after losing Casemiro, who is set to join Inter Miami on a free transfer. A deal for Atalanta’s Ederson is now said to be in doubt, but even if United do land the Brazilian, they still want further reinforcements in the middle of the park to bolster Michael Carrick’s squad.

Tchouameni has been heavily linked with a switch to the north-west club, with Real Madrid undergoing a significant shake-up following the arrival of Jose Mourinho as manager.

That said, United may be forced to look elsewhere after Alvarez de Mon’s latest update on the saga.

Aurelien Tchouameni Set to Stay at Real Madrid Despite Man Utd Interest

Sarah Meyssonnier Via Reuters

In the midst of a chaotic situation at the Bernabeu, Tchouameni enjoyed another impressive season for Los Blancos in 2025/26, contributing to four goals in his 55 appearances across all competitions.

That said, a well-documented falling out with Federico Valverde and several other factors have fuelled speculation that the Frenchman could be on his way out of the Spanish capital this summer.

Reports emerged on Wednesday morning indicating that Real Madrid could sanction Tchouameni’s departure, and that United are currently best-placed to pounce on this market opportunity. However, Alvarez de Mon has swiftly dismissed these reports.

The journalist suggests that while United’s interest in the player is genuine, his sources have informed him that the 26-year-old will remain with the La Liga giants next season.

This is a significant blow for the Red Devils, who had reportedly viewed Tchouameni as a primary target for this summer. While they could still look to test Real Madrid’s resolve with a substantial offer, they may ultimately be forced to consider alternatives.

Alex Scott Could be Man Utd’s Most Viable Tchouameni Alternative

United have already missed out on the likes of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, both of whom have joined Tottenham Hotspur in mega-money moves.

Meanwhile, if Bruno Guimaraes is to leave Newcastle United this summer, Arsenal appear to be the most likely destination for the Brazilian.

That leaves the Manchester club with few top-class midfield options who are understood to be potentially available on the market this summer. However, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is of interest to United and is currently said to be valued by the Cherries at around £80million.

While Scott is a different profile to Tchouameni, his skillset would complement Kobbie Mainoo’s nicely, and the pair of youngsters could develop a fruitful partnership at the base of United’s midfield for several years to come.