Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterFrance and Spain face each other in Dallas this evening fighting for a place in the World Cup Final on Sunday.The victor will play the winner of England versus Argentina tomorrow night, both of which are tantalising clashes with significant historical background.Given what's at stake, tonight's contest is expected to be a testy, high-pressure affair - so, who is taking charge of it all?Who is the referee for France vs Spain?The final Round of 16 match will be officiated by referee Ivan Barton from El Salvador, who has developed quite a reputation for himself this tournament.It will be his fourth match of the tournament, having previously officiated group matches between Turkey and Paraguay and Japan and Sweden, as well as the knockout fixture between Switzerland and Colombia. You may like Who is the referee for Spain vs Belgium? Who is the referee for France vs Senegal? Who is Anthony Taylor? The referee for Portugal v Spain PLAY our FREE World Cup scores predictor HERE and win �1kBarton made headlines during the Turkey-Paraguay match for his dramatic announcement of the decision to show Miguel Almiron a red card.That incident, which was referred to VAR, saw the official become the first to send a player off for covering their mouth with their hand.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The 35-year-old is appearing at his second World Cup, having taken charge of three matches at Qatar 2022, including England's Round of 16 match against Senegal.Barton will be joined on the pitch by fellow Salvadoran David Moran and Antonio Pupiro assisting from the sidelines.Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg is fourth official, whilst reserve assistant is another Swede Mahbod Beigi.Barton's previous record is pretty unpredictable when it comes to showing his cards, with only three players booked during the three World Cup matches at Qatar combined.However, during 21 Salvadoran league matches in 2025 and 2026, Barton dished out 12 red cards and a staggering 113 yellows.However, he has been a little less trigger happy during this summer, brandishing just 10 yellows altogether in addition to Almiron's red.TOPICSFranceSpainWorld CupWorld Cup 2026Joe DonnohueSocial Links NavigationSenior Digital WriterJoe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.
