Salvadoran referee Iván Barton completed the biggest assignment of his career Tuesday, overseeing Spain’s 2-0 victory over France in a World Cup semifinal that ended with both a historic milestone for Central American soccer and criticism from the losing coach. Barton became the first Central American referee to take charge of a men’s World Cup semifinal. At 35 years old, he was also the youngest Concacaf official ever selected for a match at that stage of the tournament.
His largely Central American crew included fellow Salvadoran David Morán and Nicaragua’s Antonio Pupiro as assistant referees. Their presence placed three officials from the region on the field for one of the most closely watched matches in international soccer. The most important decision of the night came midway through the first half.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal moved in front of Lucas Digne as the French defender attempted to clear the ball inside the penalty area. Digne caught the Spanish forward after Yamal touched the ball away, and Barton immediately awarded a penalty. The incident was checked by the video assistant referee, but the decision remained in place. Mikel Oyarzabal converted the penalty in the 21st minute, sending goalkeeper Mike Maignan the wrong way to give Spain the lead.
Pedro Porro added the second goal in the 57th minute after exchanging passes with Dani Olmo and breaking into the space behind France’s defense. Spain controlled the match from there, preventing Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and the rest of the French attack from creating sustained pressure. France did not register a serious scoring opportunity before halftime and struggled to match Spain’s movement and control in midfield.
The defeat ended France’s attempt to reach a third consecutive World Cup final. Spain advanced to its first final since winning the tournament in 2010 and will face the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between Argentina and England. Barton’s performance became a subject of debate after the match when France coach Didier Deschamps questioned whether the Salvadoran had the experience needed to officiate a World Cup semifinal.
Deschamps pointed to the penalty and other decisions he believed went against France, although he stopped short of blaming Barton for the defeat. The French coach also acknowledged that Spain had been the better team and said his players had fallen below the technical level required in a semifinal. Mbappé offered a similar assessment, admitting that France failed to execute its plan or disrupt Spain’s control of possession.
The penalty was the only decision that significantly affected the score, and the video review found no clear reason to overturn Barton’s call. Spain’s second goal came from open play, while France’s limited attacking threat left little doubt about which team controlled the match. The criticism did little to change the significance of Barton’s appointment.
Before the game, the Salvadoran had already surpassed Guatemala’s Carlos Batres as the Central American referee with the most appearances at men’s World Cups. Tuesday’s semifinal was his seventh match across the 2022 and 2026 tournaments. It was also his fourth assignment at this World Cup. Barton previously handled two group-stage matches before overseeing Switzerland’s penalty-shootout victory over Colombia in the round of 16.
His tournament had already attracted attention when he sent off Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón during a group-stage match against Turkey under a new rule involving players who cover their mouths while speaking to opponents during confrontations. The semifinal represented a different level of pressure, with a place in the World Cup final at stake and some of the sport’s biggest stars on the field.
Barton left the match facing criticism from France but having completed a milestone no Central American referee had reached before him. Morán and Pupiro shared that moment, giving El Salvador and Nicaragua a rare presence at the center of a World Cup semifinal. Spain now moves on to Sunday’s final at New York New Jersey Stadium. France will play in the third-place match Saturday, while Barton’s historic night will remain part of Central America’s record at the 2026 World Cup.
