The winner of this match could still have a chance of reaching the knockout stage, making this Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar game one of the most important ones of the final group-stage round in Group B at the 2026 World Cup.
Both countries only have 1 point and realistically need a victory to keep their hopes of reaching the Round of 32 alive. To make it even more challenging, both teams have already been hit by suspensions following red cards earlier in the tournament. The three players who received red cards during Matchday 2 and are suspended for tonight’s game are Tarik Muharemovic for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and both Homam Ahmed and Assim Madibo for Qatar.
FIFA has appointed experienced Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela to oversee this game.
Main Referee Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar: Jesús Valenzuela
He was recently nominated as a candidate for the IFFHS World’s Best Referee award and has been named among the top 5 referees of the World Cup so far.
The Venezuelan referee made history at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as the first Venezuelan-born referee to officiate a senior men's World Cup match.
- Nationality: Venezuela
- Age: 42
- FIFA-listed referee: 2013
- World Cups: 2022, 2026
- Major tournaments: Copa América, FIFA World Cup, FIFA Intercontinental Cup
Refereeing Style
- Prefers allowing play to flow naturally
- Strict when players challenge authority, quick to increase disciplinary action if tensions rise
- Yellow cards on average: Approximately 4.98 per match
- Red cards on average: Approximately 0.14 per match
Career Achievements
- 2022 FIFA World Cup: Became the first Venezuelan referee to officiate a World Cup match, including France vs Poland in the Round of 16.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup: Selected again among FIFA's elite officials.
- 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup Final: Refereed the final between Real Madrid and Pachuca.
- Copa América Veteran: Worked major matches during the 2019, 2021, and 2024 tournaments.
- 2024 Copa América Opening Match: Officiated Argentina vs Canada.
- CONMEBOL Finals: Regularly appointed to Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana finals.
- International Guest Assignments: Invited to officiate matches in competitions such as the Saudi Pro League.
Career Controversies
- Argentina vs Colombia (Copa América 2021): Valenzuela struggled to contain one of the tournament's most physical matches.
The heated semifinal eventually saw him issue 10 yellow cards, resulting in criticism from Colombian fans who felt the game had become too aggressive before disciplinary action increased.
- Brazil vs Argentina Suspension (2021): Valenzuela was the appointed referee for the infamous World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina that was suspended after just five minutes when Brazilian health officials entered the pitch due to COVID-19 protocol disputes.
Although the circumstances were beyond his control, the match remains one of the most unusual games ever associated with his career.
Full Officiating Crew for Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar
- Referee: Jesús Valenzuela (Venezuela)
- Assistant Referee 1: Jorge Urrego (Venezuela)
- Assistant Referee 2: Tulio Moreno (Venezuela)
- Fourth Official: Tomosuke Araki (Japan)
- VAR:Juan Soto (Venezuela)
- Reserve Assistant Referee: Jun Mihara (Japan)
