Italian referee Mariani will officiate 2026 Conference League Final

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Susy Campanale | Last updated May 11, 2026 11:20 AM ET

Italian referee Maurizio Mariani will officiate the 2026 UEFA Conference League Final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano, with Marco Di Bello as his VAR.

NAPLES, ITALY – MARCH 03: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of Juventus, reacts towards FIGC Referee Maurizio Mariani during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Juventus at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on March 03, 2024 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

The match will take place in Leipzig on Wednesday May 27 at 20.00 UK time (21.00 CEST).

UEFA have appointed 44-year-old Mariani to the role in the decisive game of the tournament.

Mariani given Conference League Final

ROME, ITALY – MAY 14: Referee Maurizio Mariani reacts during the Coppa Italia Final match between AC Milan and Bologna at Stadio Olimpico on May 14, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

The 44-year-old has been an international referee since 2019 and this will be his first major European Final, having been the fourth official at the Europa League Final last season.

He was already handed seven Champions League matches this season, including the quarter-final second leg between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.

Mariani will be supported by assistants Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni, also from Italy, with Sweden’s Glenn Nyberg as the fourth official.

The VAR team is also Italian, Marco Di Bello and Daniele Chiffi, with Croatia’s Ivan Bebek in support.

Mariani and Di Bello will also represent Italy at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

UEFA also appointed France’s Francois Letexier to the Europa League Final, which is between Freiburg and Aston Villa in Istanbul on May 20.

His VAR for that game is Jerome Brisard, supported by Willy Delajod and Dennis Higler.

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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