A Brazilian referee team will officiate the opening match of the 2026 World Cup.

According to The Hindu (India), Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio will be the main official for the opening match, while his fellow countrymen Bruno Pires and Bruno Boschilia have been appointed as assistant referees for the Group A opener on June 11.

In the opening game, host nation Mexico will face South Africa. This is a special encounter that recalls the past. Sixteen years ago, on June 11, 2010, Mexico and South Africa played the first match of the inaugural World Cup held in Africa. At Soccer City in Johannesburg, the two teams drew 1-1.

The opening ceremony and the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place at the "hallowed ground" of Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. This venue once witnessed legend Pelé lifting the gold trophy in 1970 and "Golden Boy" Diego Maradona's brilliance in 1986.

FIFA has mobilized its largest ever referee contingent for the 2026 World Cup, comprising 52 main referees and 88 assistant referees. The increase in participating teams from 32 to 48 for the 2026 World Cup has also driven the need to expand the referee pool.

The identity of the referee team assigned to each match is typically announced two to three days before the match takes place.

In a related development, the United States denied entry to a Somali referee who was scheduled to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Al Jazeera on June 8 that Mr. Omar Artan was not permitted to enter the country after arriving in South Florida on June 6.

According to DHS, referee Artan was found "inadmissible due to concerns during the vetting process" and was denied entry. However, the agency did not provide further details.

The fact that referee Artan was present in the US indicates that he had been issued a valid visa before his departure.
Somalia is on the list of countries subject to travel restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump.