End of World Cup for Makkelie as Dutch referee misses knockout stage

Einde WK for Danny Makkelie was confirmed today at 08:24 when the Dutch referee and his team were told they would not be appointed to the last four matches of the tournament. The announcement on social media marked the end of his World Cup involvement. The early elimination of Oranje in the Verenigde Staten, Canada and Mexico initially seemed to improve Makkelie's chances of further appointments. With the Dutch side out, the referee pool was reduced, creating the impression of a clearer path. At 43, the Nederlandse official had been mentioned as a possible pick for the semi‑finals, the third‑place match or even the final. Those expectations did not materialise as the selection committee moved on.

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Makkelie wrote, "We have just been told that our WK is over and that we as a team are not selected for the last four matches." He added that the team would have liked to stay longer in the beautiful tournament and that they look back with great pride and a good feeling on their performances. During the competition he officiated three games: the opening match between the United States and Paraguay, the group‑stage clash of Marokko with Haïti, and the knockout encounter of Frankrijk against Paraguay. Those fixtures formed the entirety of his World Cup refereeing portfolio.

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He said the trio of matches "were strong performances for our team, earning positive feedback and congratulations from the instructors and FIFA staff." The acknowledgment from FIFA underscored the quality of his work. Makkelie thanked his colleagues, stating, "Together we have given everything every day to perform on the highest podium." De sentiment expressed reflects the collective effort of his officiating crew.