FIFA’s decision has become a fact – Szymon Marciniak returns to Poland without the opportunity to referee any of the most important matches at the current World Cup. Many people asked why Marciniak remained in place even though he did not get a chance to appear on the pitch again. During this time, other characters will take on key roles in the tournament.
Surprising FIFA choices
During the 2026 World Cup, Szymon Marciniak did not appear in any of the matches from the round of 16 to the semi-finals. His time on the pitch was limited to two group matches, the last time he refereed on June 27. Meanwhile, other names have been selected for the most important matches of the tournament. The match for third place between France and England will be hosted by Jesus Valenzuela from Venezuela, and the grand final will go to Slavko Vinčić from Slovenia.
Expectations and reality
Commenting on Marciniak’s situation, Michał Listkiewicz expressed his belief that the Polish referee should be given one of the key meetings. He also suggested that if FIFA had not had plans for him, he would not have been kept in the US for so long. Despite this, Marciniak did not receive either the semi-final or even the final from FIFA, and now he returns to the country without taking part in the final matches of the tournament.
Marciniak ends his participation after the group stage
So far, Szymon Marciniak has been waiting patiently for another match assignment. However, after the group phase, he was no longer taken into account when judging the key matches of the championship. It seems, therefore, that his mission at the World Cup ended only with the above-mentioned two appearances.
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The championship final without Marciniak’s participation
The tournament is coming to an end and Spain will face Argentina in the final. Slavko Vinčić will lead this decisive battle on the pitch, continuing his refereeing career despite the previous controversies that accompanied him in the context of the Polish national team. For Szymon Marciniak, the World Cup has already ended and he is on his way back to Poland. FIFA refereeing decisions remained surprising to many experts and fans.
Piala Dunia 2026
Piala Dunia FIFA 2026 akan menjadi edisi paling revolusioner dalam sejarah sepak bola dunia. Turnamen ini untuk pertama kalinya akan diselenggarakan di tiga negara sekaligus, yaitu Amerika Serikat, Kanada, dan Meksiko. Selain itu, jumlah peserta juga meningkat dari 32 menjadi 48 tim, membuka peluang lebih besar bagi negara-negara dari berbagai konfederasi untuk tampil di panggung global. Format baru ini akan menghadirkan lebih banyak pertandingan, atmosfer kompetisi yang lebih luas, serta jangkauan penonton yang semakin besar di seluruh dunia.
Dengan skala yang jauh lebih besar, FIFA menargetkan turnamen ini sebagai ajang yang tidak hanya kompetitif tetapi juga spektakuler dari sisi teknologi dan pengalaman penonton. Stadion-stadion modern di berbagai kota tuan rumah telah dipersiapkan untuk menghadirkan pertandingan berkelas dunia, didukung oleh inovasi seperti peningkatan sistem VAR dan pengalaman digital bagi fans. diprediksi akan menjadi tonggak baru dalam evolusi sepak bola internasional, memperkuat popularitas olahraga ini sekaligus menciptakan momen-momen bersejarah yang akan dikenang dalam waktu lama.
