Ref named for FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool | OneFootball

Craig Pawson has been named referee for the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool.

The Football Association confirmed the 43-year-old will be taking charge of the Wembley clash on Thursday.

The FA also announced that Pawson will be assisted by Dan Cook and Edward Smart, while the fourth official will be David Coote, while Paul Tierney and assistant VAR will be Simon Bennett.

Pawson will lead the two sides out as Liverpool and Chelsea clash in a Wembley final for the second time this season.

The Sheffield native is one of ten Fifa-ranked referees in the select group one list in the Premier League, which makes him the most senior official to have never refereed an FA Cup final.

However, he does have experience in the fixture as he was appointed as the fourth official for the 2015 FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Aston Villa, having previously performed the same role in the 2014 semi-final between Arsenal and Wigan Athletic.

He began his refereeing career in 1993 and was first appointed to the EFL as a referee in 2008, before joining the Premier League list in 2013.