⚖️ Maurizio Mariani to referee Rayo Vallecano’s historic final

⚖️ Maurizio Mariani to referee Rayo Vallecano’s historic final

Rayo Vallecano already knows who will be in charge of enforcing the laws of the game in the most important match of its hundred-year history.

UEFA has officially appointed Italian referee Maurizio Mariani to take charge of the 2026 UEFA Conference League final, where the Madrid side will face Crystal Palace FC next Wednesday, May 27, at Leipzig Stadium.

At 44, Mariani will oversee his first major European club final after a steady rise since obtaining his international badge in 2019.

The Italian official arrives with the competitive sharpness that comes from having refereed seven matches in this season’s Champions League, establishing himself as a reliable option for UEFA in high-pressure games.

An all-Italian refereeing team

The officiating team will be entirely international, with a distinctly Italian presence in the technological support. Mariani will be assisted on the touchlines by fellow Italians Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni.

In the VOR room, VAR will also speak Italian, with Marco Di Bello leading the team, ensuring that technology serves as an ally of justice in a clash that will bring the Vallecas neighborhood to a standstill.

After knocking out high-profile opponents, Íñigo Pérez’s men head to Germany dreaming of lifting their first continental trophy.