Said Martinez: the Honduran referee with a controversial World Cup record taking charge of Belgium vs Senegal

Said Martinez, the Honduran referee who has courted controversy at the 2026 World Cup, will take charge of Belgium vs Senegal in the Round of 32 at Seattle Stadium. Walter Lopez and Christian Ramirez, both fellow Hondurans, will serve as his assistant referees, while Colombian officials Andres Rojas and Alexander Guzman fill the roles of fourth official and reserve assistant referee.

Belgium and Senegal arrive at this knockout tie having both recovered from shaky group-stage starts. Belgium secured their place in the last 32 with a 5-1 victory over New Zealand, while Senegal rounded out their group campaign with a commanding 5-0 win against Iraq.

Martinez is no stranger to high-profile fixtures at this tournament. He refereed the 0-0 draw between England and Ghana in Group L and the 1-1 stalemate between Qatar and Switzerland in Group B. He was also the fourth official for Portugal’s goalless draw against Colombia. Across his two matches as the main official, he has averaged 2.5 bookings per game and awarded one penalty.

His appointment has not been without scrutiny. Martinez drew criticism during the England vs Ghana match after declining to award what many observers described as a clear penalty to Ghana — a decision that remains a talking point heading into the knockout rounds.

Beyond this tournament, Martinez has built a substantial officiating record. He has taken charge of 14 CONCACAF Champions League Cup matches, averaging 4.1 bookings per game across 19 fixtures in that competition. He has also refereed three Olympic Games matches, where his card average climbs to nearly six per game — a figure that underlines his willingness to intervene when he deems it necessary.

The winner of Belgium vs Senegal will advance to the next round of the 2026 World Cup.