FIFA has appointed experienced Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio to officiate South Africa’s opening 2026 FIFA World Cup match against co-hosts Mexico on Thursday.
The highly anticipated Group Stage encounter at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City will be overseen by the 44-year-old official, who is among Brazil’s most respected referees.
Sampaio will be assisted by fellow Brazilians Bruno Pires and Bruno Boschilia, while Paraguay’s Juan Gabriel Cardoso has been named fourth official. The Video Assistant Referee team will be led by Colombia’s Nicolas Gallo, assisted by Juan Lara of Chile and France’s Jérôme Brisard.
This will be Sampaio’s second World Cup appearance, having officiated four matches at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, including France’s quarter-final victory over England.
Known for his firm approach and willingness to make decisive calls, Sampaio is no stranger to Mexican football supporters. He has previously overseen several matches involving Mexican clubs, including fixtures at last year’s Club World Cup in the United States, and also handled Mexico’s Copa América encounter against Jamaica in 2016.
Brazil enters the tournament with the strongest refereeing representation of any nation. Alongside Sampaio, compatriots Ramon Abatti and Raphael Claus have also been selected among the tournament’s match officials, supported by six Brazilian assistant referees.
South Africa will hope Sampaio’s experience contributes to a smooth opening contest as Bafana Bafana seek a positive start against the tournament hosts in one of the most eagerly awaited fixtures of the opening round.
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