FIFA defined the referee in charge of delivering justice in one of the most anticipated matches of the year. The Brazilian Wilton Sampaio will be in charge of directing the Mexico vs. South Africaa duel that will mark the beginning of the World Cup 2026 before more than 87,000 fans at the Azteca Stadium.
The appointment has generated expectations due to the extensive international career of the South American referee, who has experience in highly demanding tournaments and already knows what it is like to referee matches in the mexican team.
The Brazilian judge will be accompanied by his compatriots Bruno Pires and Bruno Boschilia as assistants. For his part, the Paraguayan Juan Gabriel Benitez He will serve as fourth officer.
In the VAR cabin there will be Eduardo Cardozo (Paraguay), Nicholas Gallo (Colombia), John Lara (Chile) and Jerome Brisard (France), forming an arbitration team with extensive international experience.
The inaugural meeting of World Cup 2026 There will also be a special ceremony prior to the opening whistle, in which they will participate Shakira and other world-renowned artists.
The international career of Wilton Sampaio
Born in Teresina de Goiás, Brazil, Wilton Sampaio He is considered one of the most experienced referees in Conmebol.
Throughout his career he has directed matches of America’s Cup, South American Qualifiers, Libertadores Cup, South American Cup, Club World Cup and World Cupconsolidating itself as one of the usual names in the competitions organized by FIFA.
During the 2025 Club World Cup he participated in highly relevant meetings. Among them, the qualifying match that América lost 2-1 against LAFC stood out, in addition to the 1-1 draw between Monterrey and Inter Milan in the group stage.
Wilton Sampaio’s history with the Mexican national team
The appointment of the Brazilian referee brings back good memories for the tri.
Sampaio led the victory of Mexico 2-0 over Jamaica during the Copa América Centenariomatch held in Pasadena, California.
That positive precedent now appears in the run-up to the World Cup debut of the Mexican squad, which starts as favorites against South Africa in the opening duel.
The impressive numbers of the Brazilian referee
The experience of Wilton Sampaio is reflected in his professional statistics.
At 44 years old, he has accumulated nearly 700 refereed matches, with 3,523 yellow cards shown, 204 expulsions and 192 penalties awarded.
These records were key for FIFA to grant him the responsibility of directing one of the most important commitments on the international football calendar.
The controversies that marked his career
Despite its prestige, the trajectory of Wilton Sampaio It has not been without controversy.
During the Qatar World Cup 2022the Brazilian referee was the subject of strong criticism after officiating the match between England and France corresponding to the quarterfinals.
Various members of the English team questioned specific decisions, including a possible foul on Bukayo Saka in the action that led to the first French goal and an alleged unsigned penalty on Harry Kane.
That performance sparked intense debates in the media and social networks, becoming one of the most discussed arbitrations of the tournament.
Mexico already knows the man with the whistle for its World Cup debut
With a career backed by hundreds of international matches, presence in FIFA tournaments and experience in maximum pressure scenarios, Wilton Sampaio will have the responsibility of directing the historical Mexico vs. South Africa that will officially open the World Cup 2026.
Now, all eyes will be focused not only on the performance of the tribut also in the decisions of the Brazilian referee in one of the most watched matches on the planet.
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