The first finalist of FIFA World Cup 2026 will be determined on Tuesday after France and Spain square off in the semifinal at the Dallas Stadium.
Both teams were pre-tournament favourites and neither has lost a single game so far. In fact, both teams boast of a formidable frontline and a solid defence.
Spain has conceded just one goal in six games while France has let in only two. The Kylian Mbappe-led side has scored 16 goals so far, the second-most by a team this World Cup, and has been more prolific than Spain, which has 11 goals in six games.
The first semifinal between France and Spain on Tuesday will be heralded by Ivan Barton from El Salvador.
Barton has been a FIFA affiliated referee since 2017. This is the 35-year-old’s second World Cup, having taken charge of three fixtures during the 2022 edition in Qatar.
In this tournament, Barton has officiated three games so far. He took charge of two group-stage games before officiating the Round of 16 match between Switzerland and Colombia. In these three games, Barton has given 11 yellow cards and one red card.
Notably, Barton became the first referee to implement the new mouth-covering rule, sending off Miguel Almiron of Paraguay in the side’s first group game against Turkey.
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Published on Jul 14, 2026