Michael Oliver: The Rule That Bars Top English Referee from Officiating 2 Teams
- Michael Oliver once revealed that he is barred from officiating matches involving two Premier League clubs
- The 40-year-old is among England’s most seasoned officials, having overseen more than 400 top-flight games
- His latest outing was Manchester United’s clash with Tottenham, where Cristian Romero was shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Casemiro
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Michael Oliver may be trusted on the biggest stages, yet certain fixtures remain off limits for the Premier League official due to integrity rules.
Regulations aimed at protecting fairness prevent him from taking charge of games involving two particular clubs.
Source: Getty Images
Which clubs can't Michael Oliver officiate?
Football authorities enforce strict conflict guidelines. Match officials must step aside from contests linked to personal loyalties, relatives, or strong regional roots.
In this instance, the experienced referee’s background in northeast England triggers clear boundaries, removing any hint of partiality.
Watch how referees prepare for the football season:
The 40-year-old grew up supporting Newcastle United. That allegiance automatically rules him out of overseeing their matches.
Earlier in life, he even represented the Magpies at youth level. Speaking in 2021, he admitted he "had a bit of talent" but "didn't like putting the hard work in as a player".
Backing Newcastle also means avoiding Sunderland, given the fierce rivalry between the two sides. During the same interview, he explained how those links shape appointments.
"I never referee Newcastle games. We have to declare if we have an allegiance to any club or if a family member works at a club," he told the Daily Mail.
"You can’t do any match involving that team, and I can’t do Sunderland, either, for obvious reasons.
"Because Newcastle are invariably involved in a relegation battle, when you get to March or April, it means I can’t referee anyone around them towards the bottom three.
"If Newcastle needed a point to survive and the team they were fighting to get above was say Villa, I couldn’t referee Villa’s game either. I wouldn’t want to. It’s not worth the hassle."
Source: Getty Images
EPL refereeing integrity rules explained
Such safeguards form part of standard governance in England.
Officials declare affiliations early, and then the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) manages selections carefully throughout each campaign.
Despite those restrictions, Oliver continues handling major clashes. On February 7, he oversaw Manchester United against Tottenham at Old Trafford.
The encounter, which ended 2-0 in favour of the Red Devils, saw him dismiss Cristian Romero for a reckless challenge on Casemiro, while also showing three cautions, one for the hosts and two for Spurs.
The incident earned him a four-match ban, including three games for the dismissal and an extra one-match suspension, as it was his second red card of the season.
Data from Whoscored indicates that the sending off marked only his second red card across 20 appearances this season, underlining a measured approach even in heated contests.
Tribute to EPL's first black referee
YEN.com.gh earlier highlighted that Uriah Rennie became the Premier League’s first Black referee in 1997 and went on to officiate more than 300 matches.
He was widely admired for his top-level fitness and composed approach to handling games.
Source: YEN.com.gh
