Zurich, Switzerland – FIFA has announced the refereeing team assigned to officiate the highly anticipated match between Saudi Arabia and Spain. This match is part of the second round of group stage matches in the 2026 World Cup.
The match will be held at Atlanta’s stadium next Sunday evening. Both teams will be looking to improve their chances of advancing to the next round of the tournament.
FIFA has assigned the match to Brazilian referee Rafael Claus, one of South America’s top referees. He will be assisted by his compatriots Danilo Maniche and Rodrigo Figueiredo. Colombian Andrés Rojas will serve as the fourth official, while his compatriot Alexander Guzmán will be in charge of video technology.
Klaus has extensive international experience since receiving his international badge in 2015. He also officiated at the World Cup finals during the Qatar 2022 edition. In that tournament, he refereed the matches between England and Iran, and Canada and Morocco.
The Brazilian referee also has prior experience with Saudi football. He has officiated several Saudi league matches in recent years, including games against Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, and Al-Qadisiyah.
During his refereeing career, Klaus officiated over 600 matches across various competitions. He was known for his decisive personality on the field and his frequent use of disciplinary cards to maintain order in matches.
The refereeing team for the Saudi Arabia vs Spain match
Referee: Rafael Claus (Brazil).
First assistant: Danilo Manes (Brazil).
Second assistant: Rodrigo Figueiredo (Brazil).
Fourth official: Andres Rojas (Colombia).
Video technology referee: Alexander Guzman (Colombia).
