INA–Follow up
FIFA has announced the refereeing team assigned to officiate the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, which will pit Mexico against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City this Thursday.
The match will be officiated by Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio, assisted by his compatriots Bruno Peres and Bruno Boschilia.
Sampaio has extensive international experience, having officiated several matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He was also part of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which saw the debut of VAR technology in the tournament.
FIFA had previously announced the largest refereeing roster in World Cup history, comprising 52 referees and 88 assistant referees, in preparation for the upcoming edition, which will feature 48 teams for the first time.
In contrast, Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was absent from the final list after being denied entry to the United States, despite being a candidate to become the first Somali referee to officiate a World Cup match.
FIFA typically announces referee appointments two or three days before each World Cup match.