UEFA has announced the appointment of Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg to officiate the match between Barcelona and Newcastle, as part of the first round of the new season of the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026.

The match will take place next Thursday at St. James' Park, at 10:00 PM Cairo and Mecca time, marking Barcelona's first official appearance in the continental tournament this season.

Nyberg is 36 years old, and this match will be the first he officiates for the Barcelona team, despite his previous experience with Spanish clubs such as Real Madrid, Sevilla, and Real Betis, in addition to the senior and U21 national teams of Spain.

It will also be the first match he leads for Newcastle United, although he has officiated previous European matches for other English clubs like Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham.

French referee Jérôme Brisard will be in charge of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room during the match.