Brazilian referee in the running for Cup final, says outlet | OneFootball

Wilton Pereira Sampaio is among the leading candidates to referee the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

According to UOL reporting, the referee is the Brazilian official entering the final stretch of the tournament in the strongest position.

Given the number of matches in this World Cup and the extremely positive internal evaluations, Wilton has emerged in the select group of five favorites to referee one of the semifinals or even the grand final.

Wilton has already officiated three major matches at this World Cup: the opener (South Africa vs. Mexico), Norway vs. Senegal, and the Round of 16 clash between the Netherlands and Morocco.

The Brazilian’s chances, however, depend on the teams involved, as FIFA applies strict criteria to avoid any conflict of nationality or confederation in the decisive stages.

The sport’s governing body, however, also considers the symbolism of appointing the same referee to oversee both the opening and closing matches of the World Cup.

The World Cup has already had Brazilians in charge of finals

The last Brazilian referee to officiate a World Cup final was Romualdo Arppi Filho.

He was in charge of the 1986 World Cup final in Mexico, when Maradona’s Argentina defeated West Germany 3-2.

Besides him, Brazil also had Arnaldo Cezar Coelho, the pioneer, who officiated the 1982 World Cup final (Italy 3-1 West Germany).

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

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