Ivan Barton will referee Match 96 of the 2026 World Cup. Having already officiated two matches in the tournament so far, Barton will look to keep tempers calm between Colombia and Switzerland as each country fights to advance to the next stage.
Barton may lack extensive overall experience, but this is his second World Cup. In his two most recent assignments, Japan vs. Sweden and Turkey vs. Paraguay, he proved he has what it takes to keep control, issuing just five yellow cards across the two games.
With Switzerland holding a high FIFA ranking heading into this clash with Colombia, this could turn into a complicated matchup. However, averaging just 2.5 cards per game in the 2026 World Cup, Barton seems like the perfect choice to let the game flow without losing control.
How has Barton performed in the 2026 World Cup?
So far, Barton has done an excellent job keeping his caution count low. He has shown only one red card in the tournament, sending off a Paraguayan player for covering their mouth, a decision that drew plenty of attention given FIFA’s new rule.
Barton during the Paraguay and Turkiye game (Getty Images)
| Role | Name (Country) |
|---|---|
| Referee | Ivan Barton |
| Assistant referees | David Morán (El Salvador) Henry Pupiro (Nicaragua) |
| Fourth official | Katia Itzel García (Mexico) |
| Reserve assistant referee | Sandra Ramírez (Mexico) |
| Video assistant referee | Guillermo Pacheco (Mexico) |
| Assistant video assistant referee | Armando Villarreal (United States) |
| Support video assistant referee | Ivan Bebek (Croatia) |
While his first match of the tournament presented an early test with that red card, his June 26 assignment between Japan and Sweden was a much smoother affair. Barton handed out just three yellow cards, managing a game that featured 31 fouls and 20 tackles.
Switzerland and Colombia: Clean discipline
During the knockout stage, Colombia picked up just two yellow cards in its 1-0 Round of 32 victory over Ghana, committing only 14 fouls and getting caught offside twice. Meanwhile, Switzerland played an incredibly clean match against Algeria in the same round, committing just 10 fouls without receiving a single card.
Barton is likely to let Colombia, which also boasts a high FIFA ranking ahead of Switzerland, play its signature style. Expect the fast-paced, uninterrupted attacking football it displayed in the group stage. Since the Swiss lineup favors a similar approach, a fan can look forward to an intense, box-to-box battle without many cards.
