Referee confirmed for Fluminense v São Paulo at the Maracanã | OneFootball

This Thursday (14), the CBF announced the refereeing team for the match between Fluminense and São Paulo, valid for the 16th round of the Brazilian Championship. The man in charge of the whistle will be Wilton Pereira Sampaio, a FIFA referee and one of the names set to be at this year’s World Cup.

The clash takes place this Saturday (16), at 7 p.m., at the Maracanã, in a direct showdown for the top spots in the Brasileirão standings. Fluminense come into the match in third place, while São Paulo sit fourth, just three points behind.

The last Fluminense match officiated by Wilton took place in this Brasileirão: a 3-2 win over Santos at Vila Belmiro in the 12th round. On that occasion, the referee was also involved in debated decisions throughout the match, a scenario that often surrounds nationally significant clashes.

The Goiás-born referee often sparks debate among fans and sports commentators, mainly because of his stricter officiating style and the high number of cards handed out in major Brazilian football matches.

Even so, Wilton has officiated two Fluminense victories in this Brasileirão. Besides the match against Santos, he also oversaw the 2-0 win over Remo in the 5th round, with goals from John Kennedy and Canobbio.

In the 2026 Brazilian Championship, the referee has shown 47 yellow cards and one red card in nine matches. That averages approximately five cards per game, a figure considered relatively high by national standards. Even so, Wilton usually lets the game flow and does not allow the players to control the officiating. In a direct clash at the top of the table, the main thing is for the match to have intensity, competitiveness and, above all, good football.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.