This Round of 32 game pits Group G winners Belgium against the resilient African giants Senegal, who squeezed through as a dangerous third-place qualifier after a 5-0 win over Iraq.
Said Martínez previously officiated the group-stage matches between Qatar vs. Switzerland and England vs. Ghana. The Belgium vs. Senegal Round of 32 clash marks his third appointment as the main referee at the 2026 World Cup.
Main Referee for Belgium vs. Senegal: Saíd Martínez
- Name: Saíd Martínez
- Nationality: Honduras
- Born: August 8, 1991
- Age: 34
- Birthplace: Tocoa, Honduras
- FIFA-listed referee since: 2017
Nicknamed "El Matemático" (The Mathematician) because of his university degree and previous work as a mathematics teacher, Martínez has become one of CONCACAF's most respected officials.
Refereeing Style and Disciplinary Profile
- Establishes control early through consistent decision-making.
- Quick to punish reckless tackles and dissent.
- Strong positional awareness and calm communication with players.
- Average yellow cards: around 4.17 per match.
- Average red cards: around 0.18 per match.
Career Achievements
- First Honduran referee selected as a lead official at a FIFA World Cup.
- Became the youngest referee ever to officiate in the Honduran top flight at just 18 years old.
- Refereed the 2021 and 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup Finals.
- Officiated the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Final.
- Selected for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
- Refereed the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League Final between Seattle Sounders and Pumas UNAM.
Career Controversies
- 2025 CONCACAF Nations League Semifinal - Mexico vs. Canada: Martínez faced heavy criticism after refusing to award Canada a first-half penalty following a challenge by Edson Álvarez on Derek Cornelius.
Full Officiating Crew for Belgium vs. Senegal
- Referee: Saíd Martínez (Honduras)
- Assistant Referee 1: Walter López (Honduras)
- Assistant Referee 2: Christian Ramírez (Honduras)
- Fourth Official: Andrés Rojas (Colombia)
- Reserve Assistant Referee: Alexander Guzmán (Colombia)
- Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Guillermo Pacheco (Mexico)
