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Salvadoran referee Iván Barton to officiate France vs. Spain World Cup 2026 semifinal
🇦🇷 Argentina /Sports

Salvadoran referee Iván Barton to officiate France vs. Spain World Cup 2026 semifinal

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • Salvadoran referee Iván Barton will officiate the 2026 World Cup semifinal between France and Spain.
  • This marks a significant achievement for Salvadoran refereeing, with Barton having prior World Cup experience in Qatar 2022.
  • Barton recently gained attention for a controversial red card issued to Paraguay's Miguel Almirón based on a new rule against verbal altercations.

Salvadoran referee Iván Barton is set to make history by officiating the high-stakes 2026 World Cup semifinal match between France and Spain in Dallas. This appointment is a landmark moment for Salvadoran football officiating, highlighting Barton's growing international reputation.

Barton brings a wealth of experience from CONCACAF competitions like the Nations League and Gold Cup. This semifinal marks his fourth assignment in the current World Cup, following his debut in Qatar 2022. FIFA has confirmed that a Central American officiating team will accompany him for this crucial encounter.

His presence in the spotlight intensified following a controversial decision in the group stage match between Paraguay and Turkey. Barton issued a direct red card to Paraguayan midfielder Miguel Almirón for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent. This action was reportedly based on a new World Cup rule designed to prevent insults during matches, a decision that sparked debate.

The highly anticipated semifinal is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, with kickoff times varying across U.S. time zones. Fans can catch the match in Spanish on Telemundo and Peacock TV, or in English on FOX. France advanced to the semifinals after a 2-0 victory over Morocco.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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