FIFA Appoints Brazil's Wilton Sampaio to Officiate Mexico vs. South Africa 2026 World Cup Opener
The Referees Committee of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has announced the officiating team for the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals. The highly anticipated fixture will see Mexico face South Africa next Thursday at the iconic Estadio Azteca.
Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio has been entrusted with overseeing the encounter. He will be assisted by his compatriots Bruno Perez and Bruno Boschilia. Uruguay's Juan Gabriel Benítez will serve as the fourth official, with fellow Uruguayan Eduardo Cardozo named as the reserve assistant referee.
Sampaio is a prominent figure in international refereeing, having previously officiated matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He was also part of the video assistant referee (VAR) team during the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
For the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, Colombian official Nicolás Gallo has been assigned the primary role, supported by Chile's Juan Lara as Assistant VAR. France's Jérôme Brisard will be present as the VAR support official.
This match is part of Group A's first round of fixtures, a group that also includes South Korea and the Czech Republic. This edition of the World Cup is historic, marking the first time 48 teams will participate.
The opening match is scheduled to take place this coming Thursday, kicking off at 8:00 PM (GMT+1), at the Mexico City stadium.
