France vs Spain World Cup Semifinal Referees and VAR Team

The upcoming World Cup semifinal between France and Spain promises more than just thrilling football. Alongside the star players like Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal reigniting their rivalry, the spotlight also falls on the match officials, whose decisions could shape the game’s outcome.

Refereeing Team Details

This high-stakes clash at AT&T Stadium will be managed by a team from El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Sweden. The central referee, Ivan Barton from El Salvador, is no stranger to controversy, often attracting attention with his strict carding decisions during this World Cup.

Referee: Ivan Barton (El Salvador)
Assistant Referees: David Moran (El Salvador), Antonio Pupiro (Nicaragua)
4th Official: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Reserve Assistant Referee: Mahbod Beigi (Sweden)
VAR: Tomasz Kwiatkowski (Poland)
Assistant VARs: Dennis Higler (Netherlands), Guillermo Pacheco (Mexico)

Who Is Ivan Barton?

At 35 years old, Ivan Barton stands out as one of CONCACAF’s most prominent referees. His rise began in El Salvador’s top soccer league, La Liga Mayor. Since earning his FIFA badge in 2018, he has officiated major events including the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 2019 U-17 World Cup, the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final, and both the 2022 and 2026 World Cups.

Barton’s reputation is mixed—he’s known for handing out red cards quickly. In the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League semifinals, he gave four red cards in a single match between Mexico and the U.S. He even ended that game prematurely due to offensive chants from the crowd. During the World Cup group stages, he sent off Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent, a decision caught on video.

"Just when you thought the semifinals couldn't get any better, they have put the most entertaining referee from the World Cup on one of them!" – Sleeper Football

Expect Barton’s involvement to add another layer of intensity to the France-Spain showdown. Some fans even call this matchup the most important televised event of the century simply because of his presence.