Who is Said Martinez? England v Ghana referee makes World Cup history for Honduras

Honduran referee Said Martinez will take charge of the Group L clash between England and Ghana at the World Cup 2026.

The 34-year-old is making his tournament debut and history for Honduras as the first official from the nation to referee at a World Cup having served as an assistant four years ago.

“Looking back, it’s something I never imagined, it never even crossed my mind… I never thought I’d be an international referee, a World Cup referee,” Martinez said in an interview for Honduran outlet Diario Diez ahead of the tournament.

“If someone else has already done something, you can too, and if someone hasn’t done it, you can be the first. Our family is very proud. This isn’t just a family achievement, but also a source of pride for our instructors, advisors, and fellow referees.”

Martinez has already taken charge of Qatar and Switzerland’s 1-1 draw, and will now whistle the clash in Boston as England and Ghana battle for top spot in their group.

Though he studied maths at university, the referee has long pursued officiating, making his debut in the Honduran top flight as an 18-year-old to become the youngest official in the division’s history.

He has since become a regular in Concacaf tournaments in both the club and international games.

Assistant Referee: Walter Lopez (Honduras)

Assistant Referee: Christian Ramirez (Honduras)

Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Guillermo Pacheco (Mexico)

Reserve Assistant Referee: Fei Zhou (China)