Spanish official Alejandro Hernández will be the match referee for Brazil’s World Cup clash with Haiti on Friday, in the second round of group-stage games in North America.

Who is Brazil vs Haiti ref Alejandro Hernández?

A surprise inclusion on the roster of referees for this summer’s finals, Hernández will be taking charge of his first ever World Cup game. Indeed, this will be his international-tournament bow as the man in the middle.

The Canary Islander has previously officiated at the European Championship - in both 2021 and 2024 - but only as a video assistant referee (VAR).

Born on Lanzarote in November 1982, Hernández became a FIFA international official in 2014, two years after making his elite domestic debut in Spain’s LaLiga.

A Clásico veteran

Since his first game in the Spanish top flight, in August 2012, Hernández has overseen 255 league games, including six high-profile matchups between arch rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona. Indeed, he refereed the most recent Clásico in May - a game that saw Barça clinch the Spanish title with a 2-0 win.

Hernández’s notable appointments also include the 2022 Copa del Rey final, which saw Real Betis win Spain’s major domestic cup competition with a penalty shootout win over Valencia.

Handed his UEFA Champions League bow in November 2021, the 43-year-old has helmed a total of 10 games in Europe’s elite club competition, including Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-2 win over Chelsea in the last 16 this March.

Although Brazil vs Haiti will be Hernández’s first World Cup game as the match referee, it is not his first involvement at the 2026 finals. He previously served as the fourth official in the Haitians’ Group C game against Scotland last Saturday, a match that ended in a 1-0 victory for the Scots.

Who are Hernández’s assistants for Brazil vs Haiti?

Hernández’s assistant referees will be fellow Spaniards José Enrique Naranjo and Diego Sánchez. Switzerland’s Schaerer and Stéphane De Almeida will be the fourth and fifth officials, respectively.

Brazil vs Haiti: kickoff times, how to watch

On matchday two of World Cup Group C, Brazil and Haiti meet on Friday, June 19, with kickoff scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT. Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, Massachusetts, will be the venue.

Viewers in the U.S. can watch the game on FOX Network, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FOX One and fubo. You can also follow live-text coverage of the action right here at AS USA.

World Cup Group C - how it stands after matchday one:

While Haiti lost their World Cup opener last weekend, Brazil head into matchday two on the back of a draw, having played out a 1-1 stalemate with Morocco.

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