Spain and Belgium meet in the second quarterfinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a place in the semifinals against France on the line.
FIFA has appointed English referee Michael Oliver to oversee the July 10 quarterfinal at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
The 41-year-old is taking charge of his fourth match of the tournament after previously officiating Netherlands vs. Sweden, France vs. Norway, and Canada vs. Morocco.
Who Is Michael Oliver? Referee for Spain vs. Belgium
Born on February 20, 1985, in Ashington, England, Michael Oliver has been a FIFA-listed international referee since 2012 and is one of the most experienced officials in world football.
Oliver made Premier League history in 2010 when he became the youngest referee ever to officiate a Premier League match at just 25 years and 182 days old. Three years earlier, he had also become the youngest referee to take charge of a match at Wembley Stadium.
Since joining UEFA's Elite Group in 2018, Oliver has officiated many of football's biggest matches, including two FA Cup Finals (2018 and 2021), the 2022 UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Champions League knockout matches, UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024, and now the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Spain vs. Belgium quarterfinal will be Oliver's seventh career World Cup match, making him the most experienced English referee in World Cup history, surpassing Howard Webb and Arthur Ellis.
Michael Oliver's Career Controversies
- 2018 UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal: Oliver awarded a dramatic stoppage-time penalty to Real Madrid against Juventus and sent off Gianluigi Buffon for protesting. Cristiano Ronaldo converted the penalty, sending Madrid into the semifinals and sparking one of the biggest refereeing debates in Champions League history.
- Arsenal controversy: In January 2025, Oliver showed a controversial red card to Myles Lewis-Skelly during Arsenal's match against Wolverhampton. The decision resulted in widespread criticism, online abuse, and a police investigation after threats were made against the referee.
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Michael Oliver's Refereeing Style
Known for his calm but firm style of officiating, Oliver averages 5.17 yellow cards per World Cup match. Before this quarterfinal, he had already shown 13 yellow cards during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Under FIFA's referee assignment rules, Oliver is eligible to officiate this match because English referees are only prevented from taking charge of matches involving England, even if England is still competing in the tournament.
Full Referee Team for Spain vs. Belgium
- Referee: Michael Oliver (England)
- Assistant Referee 1: Stuart Burt (England)
- Assistant Referee 2: James Mainwaring (England)
- Fourth Official: Ramon Abatti (Brazil)
- Reserve Assistant Referee: Rafael Alves (Brazil)
