Wilton Sampaio quickly became a headline name at the 2026 World Cup, turning the Mexico vs South Africa opener into a red-card talking point.
The Brazilian referee handed out three red cards as Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 at the Azteca Stadium, the most ever shown in a World Cup opening match.
That put him straight back in the spotlight, four years after England fans first learned his name for all the wrong reasons.
Who is Wilton Sampaio?
Sampaio is a 44-year-old referee from Teresina de Goiás and one of the most experienced officials in South America.
He started refereeing as a teenager, broke into Brazil’s top league in 2009, and was voted the best referee in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A by 2012.
Since earning his FIFA badge in 2013, he has worked across the Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Copa America, and World Cup qualifiers.
He was a VAR official at the 2018 World Cup and refereed four matches at Qatar 2022, including England vs. France.
Wilton Sampaio draws backlash after World Cup opener
Controversy came quickly in Mexico City. Sphephelo Sithole was sent off early in the second half for denying a clear goalscoring chance.
Themba Zwane followed in the 84th minute after a VAR review for striking Roberto Alvarado, and Mexico’s César Montes was dismissed in stoppage time.
Mexico still won through goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, but the officiating became the story.
Sampaio’s live VAR microphone explanation also went viral, with fans mocking how difficult it was to understand his English announcement. South Africa was furious, and the wider reaction asked whether FIFA’s tougher disciplinary tone had arrived too aggressively.
Sampaio’s history with controversy is not new
In England’s 2022 World Cup quarter-final defeat to France, Sampaio was criticized for missing a foul on Bukayo Saka before France’s first goal and only awarding England’s penalties after VAR intervention.
Gary Neville called his performance “an absolute nightmare,” while former referee Dermot Gallagher said he had not met the standard expected at that level.
That history made the 2026 opener even more combustible. FIFA trusted Sampaio with the tournament’s first match, and he produced the most card-heavy curtain-raiser in World Cup history.
As for what comes next, no further Sampaio assignments have been confirmed yet. FIFA has only released early match appointments, so his next World Cup game remains unknown.
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