Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio has been appointed to officiate the opening match of the FIFA World Cup between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, leading an all-Brazilian officiating team for the tournament curtain-raiser at Estadio Azteca. He will be assisted by fellow Brazilians Bruno Pires and Bruno Boschilia in Thursday’s Group A opener.
Sampaio is an experienced international official who previously worked matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He was also part of the video assistant referee team when VAR was introduced at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. His selection for the opening fixture reflects FIFA’s trust in his experience and consistency on football’s biggest stage.
For the expanded 48-team tournament, FIFA has assembled a record group of match officials, including 52 referees and 88 assistant referees. The larger pool is intended to cover the increased number of matches across the competition and ensure broad officiating depth throughout the event.
One notable absence from the officials list is Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been expected to become the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup match. The United States denied him entry, preventing what would have been a historic appearance.
FIFA typically announces refereeing appointments for each match two to three days before kickoff, allowing teams and fans to learn the officiating crew shortly before games begin. The opening match appointment places Sampaio and his team under immediate spotlight as the tournament gets underway in Mexico City.
