Adolf Prokop, an East German football referee who officiated at two World Cups, the 1976 Olympics and three major European club finals, died Aug. 12, 2026, at 87, Thüringer Allgemeine reported.
Prokop began refereeing in 1958 and reached the DDR-Oberliga, East Germany’s highest football division, in 1969. He moved into international refereeing in 1973.
At the 1976 Olympic football tournament in Montreal, Prokop refereed Iran against Cuba and served as an assistant referee in two other matches. Two years later, at the World Cup in Argentina, he refereed the Netherlands–Peru group match, which ended 0–0.
In 1979, he refereed the UEFA Super Cup. At the 1980 European Championship in Italy, he refereed the Netherlands’ 1–0 group-stage win over Greece. He then refereed the 1981 UEFA Cup final.
At the 1982 World Cup in Spain, Prokop refereed Austria’s 2–2 match against Northern Ireland in the second group stage, his second World Cup. In 1984, he refereed the European Cup Winners’ Cup final, where Juventus beat Porto 2–1. Prokop left FIFA’s referee list in 1988 after officiating 27 international matches and 60 European club matches.
