FIFA has confirmed the match officials for Match 101 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with veteran Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton set to handle the highly anticipated semi-final between France and Spain.
On Monday, the international football governing body acknowledged the nominations with a post on its official X account.
It states, “The match officials for FIFA World Cup Match 101 have been appointed.”
According to FIFA, Barton will preside over the highly anticipated match at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday, July 14, with kickoff at 3:00 p.m. EDT.
He will be accompanied by fellow Salvadoran David Moran as Assistant Referee 1, while Argentina’s Antonio Pupiro has been designated Assistant Referee 2.
Glenn Nyberg of Sweden will serve as the fourth official, with compatriot Mahbod Beigi named as the reserve assistant referee.
The selection puts Barton in control of one of the tournament’s biggest games, with two European football powerhouses competing for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
France advanced to the last four following another strong run, relying on a combination of defensive consistency and offensive flair.
Les Bleus, led by captain Kylian Mbappé, hope to reach another World Cup final after winning the title in 2018 and coming second in 2022.
Spain, however, has emerged as one of the tournament’s standout performers, with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal among its brightest lights.
The former global champions have impressed with their possession-based approach, young enthusiasm, and precision finishing as they chase a second global cup championship, having previously won the competition in 2010.
Tuesday’s match will reignite one of European football’s most bitter rivalries. Both nations have rich World Cup histories, and the victor will go to the final, while the loser will compete in the third-place playoff.
The France-Spain semi-final is one of the most anticipated matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, pitting two of Europe’s most successful football nations against one another for a spot in the final.
France is attempting a record-breaking fifth appearance in a FIFA World Cup final. Les Bleus won the championship at home in 1998, and they defended it in 2018.
They were previously runners-up in 2006 and 2022, and a victory against Spain would propel them to their third straight World Cup final, following berths in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
Meanwhile, Spain is aiming for only their second World Cup final participation. La Roja won their first global title in South Africa in 2010, defeating the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time, but they have not returned to the final since.
A victory over France would put an end to a 16-year wait for another chance at football’s top prize.
The two nations have only met once before in the FIFA World Cup, with France coming from behind to overcome Spain 3-1 in the Round of 16 in 2006.
The match will reignite their recent rivalry following Spain’s 2-1 victory over France in the UEFA Euro 2024 semifinal, which catapulted the Spaniards to the European championship.
With a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on the line, the semi-final promises to be an exciting matchup between France’s tournament experience and Spain’s resurgent, possession-based approach under a new generation of players.
