Mark Clattenburg reveals who will likely referee the World Cup final - and why the choice is bound to 'upset a lot of people' amid row over FIFA bias

On the latest episode of the

Daily Mail's Whistleblowers podcast,

Mark Clattenburg claims an Italian referee will likely officiate the World Cup final.

The only Italian referee at the tournament is Maurizio Mariani, 44, from Rome, who took charge of Saudi Arabia's draw with Uruguay, Colombia's win over DR Congo and Brazil's victory over Japan in the round of 32.

Clattenburg, who did not name the official, said the choice of an Italian would 'upset a lot of people', as it would be the fourth time since 1978 that the biggest game in the sport has gone to a referee from the nation.

He argued the optics are made worse by Italy's grip on refereeing's top jobs, with Pierluigi Collina chairing FIFA's referees committee and Roberto Rosetti heading refereeing at UEFA.

On the latest episode of the Daily Mail's Whistleblowers podcast, Mark Clattenburg claims an Italian referee will likely officiate the World Cup final

The only Italian referee at the tournament is Maurizio Mariani (pictured), who took charge of Saudi Arabia's draw with Uruguay and Brazil's victory over Japan in the round of 32

It comes with FIFA already facing accusations of preferential treatment after the governing body suspended the automatic ban handed to USA striker Folarin Balogun

It comes with FIFA already

facing accusations of preferential treatment

after the governing body suspended the automatic ban handed to USA striker Folarin Balogun, a decision taken after President Trump raised the red card personally with Gianni Infantino, prompting calls for FIFA's President to resign.

'I am hearing again that it could be an Italian referee,' Clattenburg said on the podcast, which he hosts alongside Gordon Smart and the Daily Mail's Football Editor Ian Ladyman.

'Infantino's Italian, Collina's Italian. Most of the power in the refereeing and wider football world is Italian.

'FIFA needs to keep everybody happy, all of the six confederations, and if you look at it, in 2010 the referee was English, in 2014 Italian, in 2018 Argentinian and in 2022 Polish. If we go Italian again, are we saying there's no other referees but Italian?

'If this year an Italian referee gets the chance again, bearing in mind what's happened with FIFA at this tournament, it would be a big shock to me.'

Infantino was in fact born in Switzerland to Italian parents. Clattenburg made clear his criticism was not of Mariani's competency to referee the biggest game in football, but an issue of fairness.

The World Cup final will take place on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, just outside New York, with the match officials expected to be announced after the semi-finals, likely on Thursday.

With France, England and Argentina all still in the tournament, leading officials including Clement Turpin, Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor can only come into contention for the final if their nations are knocked out.

The World Cup final will take place on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, just outside New York

Whistleblowers at the World Cup

is available wherever you get your podcasts

Turpin takes charge of England's quarter-final against Norway on Saturday, with Oliver appointed to Spain's meeting with Belgium tonight.

'It would upset a lot of people if we had another Italian referee,' Clattenburg, who refereed the Euro 2016 final, said.

'I am not saying an Italian doesn't deserve it, but there's an awful lot of talented referees that could referee that match.'

Listen to the full episode, where the hosts analyse Morocco's exit to France, by searching for Whistleblowers wherever you get your podcasts.