FIFA has appointed experienced Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton to officiate the highly anticipated 2026 World Cup semi-final between France and Spain.
The European heavyweights will meet at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday, July 14, with a place in the World Cup final at stake. The match is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. local time in Dallas, which is 8:00 p.m. in Nigeria.
Barton will be assisted by fellow Salvadoran David Moran, while Nicaragua’s Antonio Pupiro will serve as the second assistant referee.
Sweden’s Glenn Nyberg has been appointed as the fourth official, with his compatriot Mahbod Beigi named reserve assistant referee.
The appointment places Barton in charge of one of the biggest matches of the tournament as France and Spain battle for the chance to compete for football’s most prestigious trophy.
Barton Handed Major World Cup Assignment
The France-Spain encounter will be Barton’s fourth match at the 2026 World Cup.
He previously officiated Turkey’s group-stage match against Paraguay, the draw between Japan and Sweden, and Switzerland’s knockout-stage meeting with Colombia.
Barton also has previous World Cup experience, having handled three matches at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, including England’s Round of 16 victory over Senegal.
His latest appointment reflects FIFA’s confidence in the Central American official ahead of a match expected to attract a huge global audience.
France advanced to the semi-final after another strong tournament run, with captain Kylian Mbappe leading their attempt to reach a third consecutive World Cup final.
Les Bleus won the competition in 1998 and 2018 and finished as runners-up in 2006 and 2022.
Spain, meanwhile, secured their place in the last four after defeating Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-final.
La Roja are seeking their second appearance in a World Cup final after winning their only title in South Africa in 2010.
The semi-final also renews the growing rivalry between the two countries after Spain defeated France 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semi-final on their way to winning the European Championship.
The winner of Tuesday’s match will advance to the July 19 final at New York New Jersey Stadium, while the losing team will contest the third-place match.
