Spain and Belgium face off in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals with the goal of making it into the final four of the tournament. A very well-known referee is going to be officiating the match.
FIFA appointed Michael Oliver as the referee for Spain vs Belgium. Both assistants will also be English, but plenty of the rest of the referee lineup comes from a varied arrange of nations.
- Referee: Michael Oliver (England)
- Assistant Referee 1: Stuart Burt (England)
- Assistant Referee 2: James Mainwaring (England)
- Fourth Referee: Ramon Abatti (Brazil)
- Fifth Referee: Rafael Alves (Brazil)
- VAR: Jarred Gillett (England)
- Assistant VAR: Ivan Bebek (Croatia)
Michael Oliver in 2026 World Cup
Michael Oliver has been appointed to four matches during the 2026 World Cup, officiating high-stakes games through both the group and knockout stages. These are the matches Oliver has officiated:
Referee, Michael Oliver of England.
| Match | Phase | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | VAR Reviews |
| Netherlands 5–1 Sweden | Group Stage | 6 | 0 | None |
| Norway 1–4 France | Group Stage | 2 | 0 | None |
| Canada 0–3 Morocco | Round of 16 | 5 | 0 | None |
This is a record game for Michael Oliver
Spain vs Belgium is a milestone game for Michael Oliver. This game will make Oliver the English referee with the most World Cup matches officiated in history (7). Also, Michael Oliver could’ve had more games, as he missed one due to injury.
Michael Oliver missed his first scheduled game in the 2026 World Cup due to a minor injury, but he was poised to referee the Ivory Coast vs Ecuador game all the way back in the 2026 World Cup Matchday 1.
