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Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg to officiate Ghana vs Panama at 2026 World Cup

Glenn Nyberg, a FIFA-listed referee since 2016 who famously sent off Cristiano Ronaldo in World Cup qualifying, will take charge of Ghana's Group L opener against Panama in Toronto.

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Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg to officiate Ghana vs Panama at 2026 World Cup
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Glenn Nyberg of Sweden will referee the 2026 World Cup Group L clash between Ghana and Panama at Toronto Stadium, with compatriots Mahbod Beigi and Andreas Soderkvist serving as his assistants.

Saudi Arabian officials Khalid Alturais and Mohammed Alabakry will handle VAR duties for the match, the 23rd of the tournament so far.

Nyberg has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2016 and brings considerable experience at the top level of the game. He has officiated 23 UEFA Champions League matches, including a 3-3 thriller between Club Brugge and Atletico Madrid in the competition’s play-off round in February. He also refereed three matches at UEFA Euro 2024.

Perhaps his most high-profile recent decision came when he showed a red card to Cristiano Ronaldo for violent conduct during Ireland’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Portugal — a match in which Troy Parrott scored twice. Nyberg issues a red card in just over one in ten games he officiates and averages nearly 3.5 bookings per match.

More recently, the Swede was the man in the middle for Aston Villa’s 4-0 second-leg victory over Nottingham Forest in early May.

Ghana arrive at the fixture in poor form, having lost six of their last seven matches, with the other result a draw against Wales. Panama enter in marginally better shape, collecting two wins and three draws from their previous seven games.

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