Haiti has already been eliminated after two defeats to Scotland and Brazil. Morocco still has plenty to play for. The Atlas Lions enter the final group-stage match with four points and are chasing top spot in the group ahead of Brazil. A win could secure first place and potentially provide a more favorable path in the 2026 World Cup knockout rounds.
FIFA has appointed experienced Dutch referee Danny Makkelie to oversee the encounter in Atlanta.
Danny Makkelie’s appointment caused a debate during Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi’s pre-match press conference. Journalists asked the coach about a possible conflict of interest because Morocco could play the Netherlands , Makkelie’s home country, in the Round of 16.
The 49-year-old coach stayed calm and expressed full trust in FIFA’s decision: "There is no reason to worry. These are professional referees and FIFA knows what it is doing. We trust them completely. When you look at his stats, he does not give out many cards. He will be fair."
Main Referee Haiti vs. Morocco: Danny Makkelie
This will be his second assignment of the 2026 World Cup, having previously officiated the United States vs. Paraguay group-stage match.
- Nationality: Netherlands
- Age: 43
- FIFA-listed referee since: 2011
- UEFA Category: Elite Referee
- Profession outside football: Police Inspector in Rotterdam
Refereeing Style
- The "Police Inspector" Approach: Makkelie is known for being one of the most proactive referees in European football. Rather than allowing tensions to build, he frequently intervenes early through communication and strong player management.
- Strong authority and leadership on the pitch and excellent conflict de-escalation skills
- Active use of communication with players
- Comfortable making major decisions in high-pressure moments
- Heavy reliance on VAR when necessary
- Yellow cards average: 3.40 per match
- Red cards average: 0.09 per match
He's generally not considered card-heavy, but since the beginning of the tournament, he's for second on the list of the referees who have shown most yellow cards with 6. For reference, the first on the list has distributed 7 yellow cards.
Career Achievements
- UEFA Elite Referee since 2011
- 2020 UEFA Europa League Final: Sevilla vs Inter Milan
- Euro 2020 Semifinal: England vs Denmark
- 2022 FIFA World Cup: Selected among FIFA's top officials
- Champions League Veteran: More than 46 UEFA Champions League matches, including numerous knockout fixtures
Career Controversies
- Euro 2020, England vs Denmark: His most famous controversy came during this semifinal when he awarded England an extra-time penalty after Raheem Sterling went down inside the box.
The decision generated intense criticism in Denmark and across Europe.
- Cristiano Ronaldo's "Ghost Goal" (2021): During a World Cup qualifier between Portugal and Serbia, Makkelie failed to award what appeared to be a clear winning goal from Cristiano Ronaldo because goal-line technology was unavailable.
The Dutch referee later publicly apologized to the Portuguese team.
- VAR incidents: the first-ever yellow-card-to-red-card upgrade through VAR in 2016 and received criticism during the 2026 Champions League semifinal between Arsenal and Atlético Madrid after a lengthy five-minute VAR review overturned a late penalty.
Full Officiating Crew for Haiti vs. Morocco
FIFA has appointed the following officials for this Group C encounter:
- Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)
- Assistant Referee 1: Hessel Steegstra (Netherlands)
- Assistant Referee 2: Jan de Vries (Netherlands)
- Fourth Official: João Pinheiro (Portugal)
- Reserve Assistant Referee: Bruno Jesus (Portugal)
