Top referee for Ellan Vannin's World Football Cup opener

Clattenburg to take charge of match vs Cascadia

One of the world's highest-profile referees will officiate Ellen Vannin's first match at the ConIFA World Football Cup later this month, according to reports in a UK newspaper.

The Daily Mail says Mark Clattenburg will take charge of the Manx side's game against Cascadia, which will open the tournament on Thursday, 31 May.

The match is being played at Gander Green Lane, which is Sutton United's home ground.

Clattenburg will also take charge of the final on Saturday, 9 June.

If chosen, he would have been the British referee at the FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer, but was removed from the long list (and wasn't replaced) when he quit the Premier League to become the head of refereeing in Saudi Arabia last year.