Who is Said Martinez? The referee for Belgium vs Senegal
Belgium vs Senegal will kick off this evening at the Seattle Stadium, but who is the referee?
Belgium vs Senegal is a battle of two well-matched but struggling sides at the 2026 World Cup.
After poor starts for either nation in the groups, both bounced back with strong final match victories to qualify for the Round of 32.
For Belgium, this came through a 5-1 win against New Zealand, while Senegal delivered a 5-0 drubbing vs Iraq.
Who is the referee for Belgium vs Senegal, Round of 32, 2026 World Cup?
Belgium vs Senegal will be played this evening at 9pm British time, with the game being held at the Seattle Stadium.
In charge of the clash is Honduran referee Said Martinez, who has officiated previous matches at the 2026 World Cup.
Joining him as assistant referees are fellow countrymen Walter Lopez and Christian Ramirez.
Andres Rojas and Alexander Guzman of Colombia will serve as the fourth official and reserve assistant referee respectively.
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Martinez previously refereed Group L's 0-0 draw between England and Ghana, as well as Group B's 1-1 stalemate between Qatar and Switzerland.
The Honduran official averages 2.5 bookings per game at the tournament, and has awarded one penalty in two matches.
He was also the fourth official for Portugal's 0-0 draw against Colombia, and boasts an impressive refereeing career.
Martinez has officiated 14 CONCACAF Champions League Cup clashes, averaging 4.1 bookings per game across 19 matches.
He has also refereed three Olympics Games face-offs, averaging almost six bookings per match in that competition.
The Honduran isn't afraid to wield his cards, however, he has also been a source of controversy at the 2026 World Cup after failing to award Ghana a 'clear' penalty against the Three Lions.

Kedar Bayley is a trained journalist specialising in culture reporting. As a fan of Liverpool FC, he writes on the Reds often. Knowledgable about all things sports, cinema and television, you can find his words in Screen International, FourFourTwo, Manchester Evening News and more.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
