[3] It was announced on 29 July 2021 that Kuipers would be retiring from refereeing, officiating his final match between Ajax and PSV on 7 August in the 2021 Johan Cruyff Shield.

[4] Kuipers's debut professional domestic match as a referee was a second-tier clash between SC Telstar and MVV at the Rabobank IJmond Stadion in IJmuiden on 20 September 2002.

At the domestic level, he has also overseen several important matches as a referee in the Eerste Divisie, the KNVB Beker and the Johan Cruijff Schaal.

[6] During the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, Kuipers was appointed to referee the semi-final match between Mazembe and Internacional at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on 14 December 2010.

[7] Kuipers officiated in the first major European final of his career when he oversaw the 2011 UEFA Super Cup match[8] between Barcelona and Porto at the Stade Louis II in Monaco on 26 August 2011.

[15][16] During the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, he refereed the Group B match between Nigeria and Uruguay at the Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador.

[17] Kuipers then oversaw the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Final between hosts Brazil and Spain at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on 30 June 2013.

[21] He became the fourth Dutch referee to take charge of a prestigious European Cup Final after Leo Horn (1957 and 1962), Charles Corver (1978) and Dick Jol (2001).

[37] After refereeing a 2021 Champions League semifinal match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City that saw Ángel Di María sent off, Kuipers was accused by two PSG players of insulting them on the pitch.

Kuipers studied business administration at the Radboud University Nijmegen and besides refereeing he is also the owner of a number of supermarkets and a hair studio in his hometown Oldenzaal.