Honduran referee Said Martinez to officiate England vs Ghana at the World Cup

Said Martinez of Honduras will referee England’s FIFA World Cup Group L fixture against Ghana, with Thomas Tuchel’s side seeking a second consecutive victory to secure their place in the last 32.

The 34-year-old’s only previous World Cup assignment was the 1-1 draw between Qatar and Switzerland, a match not without incident. Switzerland were awarded a penalty for a foul on Remo Freuler despite the Swiss forward appearing to be in an offside position. Following a VAR review, the penalty was allowed to stand, and Breel Embolo converted it. Martinez showed three yellow cards across that contest.

A FIFA-listed referee since 2017, Martinez made history in his home country by becoming the Honduran top flight’s youngest-ever referee when he took charge of his first match at 18, while studying mathematics at university. He has since become a regular fixture in CONCACAF international football, earning his World Cup selection on the back of that consistent record.

England head into the Ghana fixture with confidence after a 4-2 win over Croatia, a result that included a retaken penalty scored by Harry Kane following a VAR intervention.

Martinez will be assisted by fellow Hondurans Walter Lopez and Christian Ramirez. China’s Ning Ma serves as fourth official, while Mexico’s Guillermo Pacheco takes the VAR role.