Here’s a look at every detail you need to know about Umut Meler, the referee for England v Slovakia in the Euro 2024 round-of-16.
The group stages are over and it’s time for teams to stand up and be counted as Euro 2024 enters the knockout rounds.
England may fancy their chances of going deep into the tournament, with a potential run to the Euros final that looks kind on paper.
Reality can often differ from that though, as Gareth Southgate and his side have struggled to find fluency in their performances.
One win and two draws in Group C ensured the Three Lions topped the group, but not in the most convincing fashion.
It set them up for a round-of-16 clash with Slovakia, who have already caused one upset in beating Belgium to progress through the groups.
Both sides will be desperate to earn a passage into the quarter-finals and while performances will be key, they could be at the mercy of the match officials on the day.
So with that said, here’s a look at everything you need to know about the referee, Umut Meler, and the team behind him for the clash.
Who is the referee for England v Slovakia?
UEFA have chosen Umut Meler as the referee in charge of England v Slovakia in Sunday evening’s Euro 2024 clash.
Other match officials include Emre Eyisoy and Kerem Ersoy as assistant referees on either side and Rade Obrenovic as the fourth official.
Who is the VAR for England v Slovakia?
There will be a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in action for the match, with Marco Fritz taking the main role in the booth.
He will be joined by two assistants, Christian Dingert and Tomasz Kwiatkowski, who will help with any ongoing checks.
Umut Meler nationality and age
Umut Meler is a Turkish referee who was born on August 1st, 1986 – which makes him 37 years old at the time of writing.
What league does Umut Meler referee in?
Starting in 2013, Meler quickly rose the ranks in Turkish football to become a prominent referee in the top two divisions.
Since 2014, he has officiated in the TFF First League – the second tier of Turkish football – and earned a place in the Super Lig – the first tier – in 2015.
On top of this, matches in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League have become regular occurrences.
Meler acted as the fourth official in England’s final group-stage match against Slovenia in Euro 2024.
Umut Meler attack
In December 2023, Meler refereed a match between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor in the Super Lig, which ended in controversy.
After the match, Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca attacked the referee before two other men joined in by kicking the official while he was on the ground.
Security, police and medical staff had to intervene, with Meler eventually sent to hospital for further treatment.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) later held an emergency meeting surrounding the situation, eventually suspending the league indefinitely.
Investigations followed, with court cases and arrests made, while Koca stepped down as Ankaragucu president.
He was subsequently banned by the TFF, while the club were made to pay a fine and play matches without fans.
The league restarted in mid-December, with Meler making his eventual return to action in mid-January.
Euro 2024 games Meler has refereed
Meler has taken charge of two games in Euro 2024 so far, officiating Belgium v Slovakia and Poland v Austria.
Over the two games, he has awarded one penalty and dished out ten yellow cards.