FIFA has appointed Salvadoran referee, Ivan Barton, to officiate the 2026 highly anticipated World Cup semi final match between France and Spain.
The football governing body, in a statement on its website, designated Barton, who had refereed matches in the Gold Cup, Copa América, World Cup qualifiers, and the Concacaf Nations League, for the crucial fixture, stating he would be assisted by compatriot, David Moran, and Argentina’s Antonio Pupiro as Assistant referees 1 and 2.
It will also be a historic moment as the centre referee would become the first Salvadoran referee to officiate a World Cup semifinal, following his earlier match refereeing in the ongoing mundial competition in matches between Turkey and Paraguay, Japan and Sweden, as well as the Round of 16 clash between Colombia and Switzerland.
In the circular released on Monday, Sweden’s Glenn Nyberg would act as the fourth official, as well as his fellow countryman, Mahbob Beigi, as the reserve assistant referee.
The match 101 of the competition, billed for Tuesday, July 14, at the Dallas Stadium, sees France chasing their fifth appearance in a World Cup final, having reached the stage in 2022, 2018, 2006 and 1998, the latter, which they won, while Spain are challenging for their second, their first in 2010, when they clinched their first and only win of the competition.
The two European nations have met just once in the competition,. last in the 2006 edition, Les Blues winning the encounter by three goals to one, with the latest rivalry held in the UEFA Euro 2024, the La Roja, winning the encounter 2-1.