Felix Zwayer, a referee previously banned for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal, has been selected to officiate the all-English Europa League final, set for May 22. Zwayer, who will oversee the match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, faced a six-month suspension back in 2006 for accepting a £250 bribe from referee Robert Hoyzer to influence the outcome of a Bundesliga match.
Despite this controversial past, Zwayer played a key role in exposing Hoyzer’s scheme, which ultimately led to Hoyzer receiving a lifetime ban from football. Following his suspension, Zwayer resumed officiating in 2009 and has since established himself as one of Europe’s top referees, becoming a FIFA-listed official in 2012.
Throughout his career, Zwayer has officiated numerous high-profile matches, including Arsenal’s recent Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain and England’s Euro 2024 semi-final victory over the Netherlands—a decision that raised eyebrows and drew criticism from England’s Jude Bellingham. Bellingham expressed concerns over Zwayer’s integrity following a match where his previous club, Borussia Dortmund, lost to Bayern Munich while Zwayer was on the field. Consequently, Bellingham received a fine of $64,000 for his comments about the referee’s past suspension.
Regardless of these criticisms, Zwayer continues to be a prominent referee and has officiated four matches involving Manchester United since 2016, while Tottenham Hotspur has been refereed by him in two encounters. The upcoming Europa League final will take place at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, firmly placing Zwayer in the spotlight once again.