Wolverhampton Wanderers v West Ham United
Carabao Cup second round, Molineux, Tuesday 26 August 2025, 7.30pm BST
Referee: Darren England
Assistant Referees: Scott Ledger and Akil Howson
Fourth Official: Josh Smith
Darren England has been confirmed as the referee for West Ham United’s Carabao Cup second round tie at Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday evening.
The Leeds Beckett University graduate’s refereeing journey began in 2012 when he joined Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) as a FIFA and Premier League assistant referee.
Three years later, the 39-year-old was named on the National League list of officials ahead of the 2015/16 season, meaning he officiated in the Football League, before he was promoted to the PGMOL’s Select Group 2 prior to 2017/18.
Then, in August 2020, England, who was fourth official in May’s FA Cup final between Crystal Palace and Manchester City, became part of the PGMOL’s Select Group 1, ahead of being added to the FIFA list of International Match Officials in 2022.
England’s first time refereeing the Hammers saw David Moyes' team run out 4-1 winners away at Watford in December 2021. The Irons found themselves 2-1 ahead thanks to quickfire goals from Tomáš Souček and Saïd Benrahma, before England - after a VAR check - gave the visitors a penalty in the 59th minute for a foul on Jarrod Bowen, which Mark Noble duly dispatched. Nikola Vlašić rounded off the scoring in second-half stoppage time at Vicarage Road.
More recently, England oversaw our pre-season victory over French Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille at London Stadium earlier this month.
Scott Ledger and Akil Howson will serve as the assistant referees.
An experienced assistant, Ledger has run the line in 319 Premier League matches dating back to the 2014/15 season, including 24 involving West Ham. The first was a 2-1 defeat by Arsenal at the Boleyn Ground in December 2014, and the most recent was the 2-1 defeat at Liverpool in April 2025.
Howson, meanwhile, is experienced in the EFL, having worked at 264 Championship matches. Moreover, three his 51 outings in the top division were West Ham matches in 2024/25, against Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest respectively, while he also ran the line at London Stadium in our Carabao Cup second round win over AFC Bournemouth last season.
Josh Smith will be the fourth official on Tuesday. Born in Peterborough, Smith, who is one of the younger referees currently working in the Premier League and EFL, made his top-flight debut at the end of the 2022/23 season when he took charge of a game between Fulham and Crystal Palace, and took charge of West Ham’s 3-1 Premier League defeat at Leicester City in 2024/25.
VAR will not be in use during this Carabao Cup tie.
