Letexier confirmed as referee for Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia at World Cup 2026

François Letexier will referee the World Cup 2026 Group H match between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia at Houston’s NRG Stadium, with kickoff set for 7pm local time (1am UK time).

The 37-year-old Frenchman is widely regarded as one of Europe’s leading officials. He made history at Euro 2024 as the youngest referee ever to take charge of a European Championship final, overseeing Spain’s victory over England. More recently, he refereed Aston Villa’s Europa League final win over Freiburg.

This will be Letexier’s second appointment at the 2026 tournament, having previously officiated Ivory Coast’s 1-0 victory over Ecuador.

He will be assisted by fellow Frenchmen Mehdi Rahmouni and Cyril Mugnier as his assistant referees, while Abongile Tom of South Africa takes the fourth official role. Tom’s compatriot Zahele Siwela will serve as the reserve official. VAR appointments had not been confirmed at the time of publication.

The stakes are high for both nations in Group H. Either side can still advance — whether from second place or as one of the best third-placed teams — but the two outcomes are mutually exclusive, meaning at least one of Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia will be eliminated when the final whistle blows. Uruguay and Spain play simultaneously.