---
title: "Ref Watch: The Match Officials confirmed for Crystal Palace vs West Ham"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2026/04/14/match-officials-crystal-palace-vs-west-ham-confirmed/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Matt Bottomley"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2026-04-14T15:38:29Z"
modified: "2026-09-22T17:44:05Z"
---

# Ref Watch: The Match Officials confirmed for Crystal Palace vs West Ham

- **West Ham play Crystal Palace on Monday night in the Premier League**
- **The match could be huge for the Hammers survival fight**
- **The game will kick off at 8PM BST**

West Ham United head to Crystal Palace on Monday night, looking to build on a huge win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. [Those three points saw the Hammers climb out of the relegation zone](https://readwestham.com/2026/04/10/west-ham-4-0-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league/), but [Nuno Espirito Santo’s team](https://readwestham.com/2026/04/11/west-ham-nuno-espirito-santo-west-ham-vs-wolves/) cannot stop if they want to stay up this season.

[Crystal Palace](https://readcrystalpalace.com/) have recovered from a mid-season dip and won their last league game 2-1 over [Newcastle United](https://readnewcastle.com/). That win effectively saves Oliver Glasner’s team but the Eagles do have one more game before [West Ham](https://readwestham.com/) come to Selhurst Park, a midweek trip to Fiorentina.

## Match Officials

**Referee:** Darren England

**Assistant Referees:** Scott Ledger and Akil Howson

**Fourth Official:** Matt Donohue

**VAR:** James Bell

**Assistant VAR:** Blake Antrobus

Darren England will take charge of [West Ham](https://www.whufc.com/)‘s trip to Crystal Palace on Monday night.

The 40-year-old started refereeing in the professional game in 2012 as an assistant referee before moving to the middle in 2015. England would then move to the top group in 2020, joining FIFA’s elite list two years later.

The official took charge of his first West Ham game in December of 2021, overseeing a then-David-Moyes led Hammers in a 4-1 win over Watford. Since then England has taken charge of eight Irons fixtures including the team’s 2-0 win over Burnley this season.

Scott Ledger and Akil Howson will assist England on Monday night.

Ledger has run the line at 344 Premier League games dating back to 2014, whilst Howson has done so at 67 top flight games.

The duo regularly work together with England, having served with the referee at his last three West Ham assignments.

James Bell will serve as VAR for this game. Bell has done so at 29 Premier League games this season including several West Ham games, the last one being the 2-1 win over [Tottenham Hotspur](https://readtottenham.com/) in January.

Bell will be assisted by Blake Antrobus, who also di so in the Hammers 3-0 defeat to Wolves in January.