A guide to the referees of the 2026 World Cup
FIFA appointed 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials for the 2026 finals, the largest group of match officials ever named for a World Cup. They come from all six confederations and 50 member associations, which fits a tournament that has grown to 48 teams spread across Canada, Mexico and the United States. This guide runs through who they are, how they get picked, which of them reach for the cards most often, and what they are paid.
How FIFA picks its World Cup referees
Officials are selected years out, not weeks. FIFA runs an elite international panel and tracks referees through continental competitions, fitness testing and regular assessment before a World Cup squad is settled. The 2026 list was confirmed in April, around two months before kick-off, so the federations could release their officials for a long pre-tournament camp.
Two rules shape every appointment once the tournament starts. A referee is never given a match involving their own country, and the three on-field officials plus the VAR team are usually built around a single confederation or refereeing style so they work the way they train. Assignments land a day or two before each game, which is why the panel above shows a fixture as TBA until FIFA names the official.
The strictest referees at the 2026 World Cup
Ranked by career yellow cards per game across the 115+ leagues we track, Argentina's Darío Herrera tops the list at 5.50 a game. South American officials dominate the top end, which is partly their own style and partly the leagues they referee week to week.
| # | Referee | Country | Yel / game | Fouls | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Darío Herrera | Argentina | 5.50 | 25.1 | 248 |
| 2 | Yael Falcón Pérez | Argentina | 5.29 | 25.9 | 184 |
| 3 |  Alejandro José Hernández Hernández | Spain | 5.24 | 25.4 | 164 |
| 4 |  Jesús Valenzuela Sáez | Venezuela | 5.17 | 27.4 | 86 |
| 5 |  Andrés José Rojas Noguera | Colombia | 5.07 | 24.8 | 56 |
| 6 |  Istvan Kovacs | Romania | 4.99 | 25.3 | 196 |
| 7 |  Gustavo Tejera | Uruguay | 4.94 | 23.1 | 187 |
| 8 |  Kevin Ortega | Peru | 4.90 | 25.6 | 63 |
Career averages, all competitions. Minimum 15 matches in our database. Open any referee for their full record.
World Cup card records
No World Cup referee wants to be remembered for the cards, but a few matches are remembered for nothing else. Portugal against the Netherlands in the 2006 round of 16, refereed by Russia's Valentin Ivanov, ran to 16 yellow cards and four reds, 20 in total. According to Guinness World Records it is still the record for a single World Cup match, and it is known as the Battle of Nuremberg.
The yellow-card record fell more recently. Antonio Mateu Lahoz showed 18 of them in the Netherlands v Argentina quarter-final at Qatar 2022, the most ever in one game, though fewer red cards meant the overall total never threatened 2006. Most World Cup matches are far calmer than either, and the tournament average sits well below the busiest domestic leagues.
Who will referee the 2026 World Cup final?
It is not decided in advance. FIFA names the final referee a day or two before the match on 19 July, choosing from the officials who are still in contention after the semi-finals and have performed most reliably across the tournament. Reputation helps, but consistency decides it.
Recent finals give a sense of the bar. Szymon Marciniak of Poland took the 2022 final, Argentina's Néstor Pitana refereed in 2018, and Italy's Nicola Rizzoli in 2014. You can follow every 2026 appointment as it is announced on this page, and open any referee for their career record.
How much do World Cup referees get paid?
There is no flat salary. The pay is built from a tournament base fee plus a fee for every match an official is given. According to Goal, referees at the 2018 World Cup were paid a base of 70,000 dollars plus 3,000 dollars a game, with assistant referees on 25,000 dollars plus 2,000 a game. Rates rose again for Qatar 2022, so a referee who works several matches and reaches the latter stages can clear six figures for the tournament.
Assistant referees and VAR officials sit on the same structure with smaller numbers. FIFA has not released the 2026 figures yet, but with a bigger field and more matches than ever, the headline fees are expected to climb again.
Female referees at the 2026 World Cup
Female officials are now a permanent part of the men's World Cup. They first took charge of matches at Qatar 2022, and FIFA has again appointed women to the 2026 panel, among them Tori Penso of the United States and Katia Itzel García of Mexico. They are in the same pool as everyone else and eligible for any fixture in the tournament.
World Cup referees: frequently asked questions
How many referees are at the 2026 World Cup?
According to FIFA, 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials were appointed for the 2026 finals, drawn from all six confederations and 50 member associations. It is the largest group of officials ever assembled for a World Cup, which makes sense for the first 48-team tournament across three host nations.
How much do World Cup referees get paid?
There is no single salary. According to Goal, referees at the 2018 World Cup were paid a base fee of 70,000 dollars plus 3,000 dollars per game, with assistant referees on 25,000 dollars plus 2,000 a game. Rates rose again for Qatar 2022, so a referee who works deep into the tournament can clear six figures overall. FIFA has not published the 2026 figures, but they are expected to rise.
Who referees the World Cup final?
FIFA names the final referee a day or two before the match, and only the officials still in contention after the semi-finals are considered. It tends to go to whoever has performed most reliably across the tournament rather than the biggest name. Szymon Marciniak took the 2022 final, Néstor Pitana the 2018 final and Nicola Rizzoli the 2014 final. The 2026 appointment will not be known until mid-July.
Who is the strictest referee at the 2026 World Cup?
On career yellow cards per game across the competitions we track, the South American officials sit at the top of the list. The CONMEBOL referees in particular run noticeably higher card averages than their UEFA counterparts, which is partly style and partly the leagues they come from. The ranking on this page is built from live data, so it updates as more matches are logged.
Are there female referees at the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. FIFA has appointed female centre referees to a men's World Cup before, at Qatar 2022, and has named officials including Tori Penso of the United States and Katia Itzel García of Mexico for 2026. They are eligible for any match in the tournament, not a separate pool.
What is the most card-filled match in World Cup history?
According to Guinness World Records, Portugal against the Netherlands in the 2006 round of 16, refereed by Valentin Ivanov, produced 16 yellow cards and four red cards for a total of 20, the most in any World Cup match. It is remembered as the Battle of Nuremberg. The most yellow cards in a single game came later, when Antonio Mateu Lahoz showed 18 in the Netherlands v Argentina quarter-final at Qatar 2022.
Every average on this page comes from the same data that powers referee profiles across FootyMetrics, where we cover the same Opta-grade match stats for officials in 115+ leagues. Scroll back up to search the full list or filter by confederation.