Surprise inclusion as FIFA confirms 2026 World Cup referees: find out the full list
Ahead of this summer’s men’s World Cup, FIFA has announced its list of match officials for the 48-team tournament in North America.
FIFA has sprung a surprise in its list of referees for the 2026 men’s World Cup. Global soccer’s governing body has called up Spain’s Alejandro Hernández Hernández to referee matches at the tournament, which will be held this June and July in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Hernández Hernández’s inclusion marks Spanish refereeing’s return to a FIFA showpiece, after the absence of any officials from the country at last year’s Club World Cup. The Canary Islander had already raised eyebrows by sneaking into the preliminary list at the last minute, and he has now secured a spot on the final roster.
At the start of the season, securing representation at this summer’s World Cup was one of the major concerns for Spain’s current refereeing leadership, especially after the blow of missing out on the Club World Cup. But Hernández Hernández’s performances have not gone unnoticed by either UEFA or FIFA, which is why the world governing body has now included him for the World Cup.
Spanish ref gets nod over more-fancied colleague
The 43-year-old was not part of the original preliminary list for the World Cup. Then, in March, to the surprise of many, FIFA added him at the last moment and invited him to the final seminar. Over the past few seasons, Hernández Hernández has been operating at a consistently high level, steering clear of controversy, and UEFA has also rewarded him with five Champions League assignments, including high-profile knockout clashes.
However, his colleague José María Sánchez Martínez was widely seen as the leading Spanish candidate to make the trip to North America. Within Spain’s refereeing committee (CTA), he is regarded as the standout official in the current pool - the country’s standard-bearer. That reputation is built above all on his sharp judgment when it comes to key decisions, as well as the clear progress he has made in managing games and communicating with players.
Earlier in his career, Sánchez Martínez could be overly forceful, a style that often put him at odds with players, but that edge has softened in recent seasons, and he has significantly improved that side of his officiating.
The full list of 2026 World Cup referees:
- UEFA: Michael Oliver (England); Anthony Taylor (England); François Letexier (France); Clément Turpin (France); Felix Zwayer (Germany); Maurizio Mariani (Italy); Danny Makkelie (Netherlands); Espen Eskås (Norway); Szymon Marciniak (Poland); João Pinheiro (Portugal); István Kovács (Romania); Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia); Alejandro Hernández Hernández (Spain); Glenn Nyberg (Sweden); Sandro Schärer (Switzerland).
- AFC: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan); Ning Ma (China); Alireza Faghani (Australia); Yusuke Araki (Japan); Abdulrahman Al Jassim (Qatar); Khalid Al Turais (Saudi Arabia); Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan).
- CAF: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria); Pierre Atcho (Gabon); Amin Mohamed (Egypt); Jalal Jayed (Morocco); Dahane Beida (Mauritania); Omar Abdulkadir Artan (Somalia); Abongile Tom (South Africa).
- CONCACAF: Drew Fischer (Canada); Juan Calderón (Costa Rica); Said Martínez (Honduras); Oshane Nation (Jamaica); César Ramos (Mexico); Katia García (Mexico); Iván Barton (El Salvador); Ismail Elfath (USA); Tori Penso (USA).
- CONMEBOL: Yael Falcón Pérez (Argentina); Darío Herrera (Argentina); Facundo Tello (Argentina); Ramon Abatti (Brazil); Raphael Claus (Brazil); Wilton Sampaio (Brazil); Cristian Garay (Chile); Andrés Rojas (Colombia); Juan Gabriel Benítez (Paraguay); Kevin Ortega (Peru); Gustavo Tejera (Uruguay); Jesús Valenzuela (Venezuela).
Take a look at FIFA’s complete list of referees, assistant referees and video assistant referees.
When is the 2026 World Cup?
The 23rd edition of FIFA’s global tournament, the 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11, when Mexico hosts South Africa in the opening game at Mexico City’s Estadio Banorte. The expanded, 48-team event will conclude with the final on July 19, staged at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Related stories
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that of this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.
Complete your personal details to comment