France and England meet today at Miami Stadium in Florida to decide third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after both nations were eliminated in the semifinals.
Amid favorable weather in Miami today, FIFA has appointed Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela to oversee Saturday’s third-place playoff. His background in CONMEBOL competitions, including the Copa Libertadores and Copa América, has earned him a reputation for handling physical matches without allowing player appeals to dictate his decisions.
France, led by Kylian Mbappe, enter the match following a 2-0 defeat to Spain, while England fell 2-1 to Argentina despite taking the lead in the semifinal. The match also carries individual significance, as Mbappe enters the game tied with Lionel Messi on eight goals in the tournament, giving the France captain one final opportunity to claim the Golden Boot.
Who are the match officials for France vs England?
With several implications depending on whether England win, draw, or lose today against France, Jesús Valenzuela will serve as the referee for the third-place match, leading an officiating crew that includes officials from Venezuela, Morocco, Uruguay, the United States, Spain, and Chile.
Referee Jesus Valenzuela makes a decision during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match. Stu Forster/Getty Images
Match officials for France vs England:
- Referee: Jesús Valenzuela (Venezuela)
- Assistant Referee 1: Jorge Urrego (Venezuela)
- Assistant Referee 2: Tulio Moreno (Venezuela)
- Fourth Official: Jalal Jayed (Morocco)
- Fifth Official: Zakaria Brinsi (Morocco)
- VAR: Leodán González (Uruguay)
- Assistant VAR: Armando Villarreal (United States)
- Support VAR: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (Spain)
- Support VAR: Juan Soto (Venezuela)
- Support AVAR: Juan Lara (Chile)
What to expect from Jesús Valenzuela’s officiating?
Valenzuela is widely recognized for allowing play to flow while maintaining control of matches through consistent disciplinary decisions. The 42-year-old has built extensive experience officiating high-profile international competitions and is no stranger to FIFA World Cup matches.
Today’s assignment will be his sixth career World Cup match. During the 2026 tournament, he has already officiated Australia vs. Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar, and Norway vs. Ivory Coast, maintaining a relatively low average of yellow cards.
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Valenzuela also has previous experience with both teams, having refereed England’s scoreless draw against the United States and France’s 3-1 victory over Poland during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
