34-YEAR-OLD HECTOR SAID MARTINEZ SORTO TO OFFICIATE ENGLAND VS GHANA IN THE 2026 WORLD CUP 

By: Isaac Amponsah (Dr Ike)

• FIFA appointment committee has selected Honduran Referee, Hector Said Martinez Sorto to officiate England and Ghana Round 2 fixture of Group L of the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at the Boston Stadium in USA.

Said Martinez was born on August 7, 1991 in Tocoa, Honduras and he has been on FIFA list of international referees and CONCACAF since 2017.

• Referring career:

• At the age of ten, Said Martinez began the dream of being a referee with the example of his father, and made the decision in becoming a referee. 

• With dedication and determination, Said Martinez was the youngest to make his debut in football matches in the Liga Nacional de Futbol Professional de Honduras at just 18 years of age.

• He officiated at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States, Costa Rica and Jamaica, the CONCACAF U-20 Championship, and the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland.

• Martinez officiated the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, including the final between the United States and Mexico.

• Personal life:

• With many hopes in his professional life, Martinez decided to move to Tegucigalpa, the capital and largest city of Honduras due to the luck of opportunities in Tocoa. Said Martinez entered the Francisco Morazan National Pedagogical University, where in a few years studied mathematics, and later earning him the nickname "El Matematico".

• This fixture will be the first time a referee from Honduras will officiate England game at the FIFA World Cup but the eighth time a referee from CONCACAF Confederation or North America to handle The Three Lions game at the tournament since 1950.

• This will be the first time a referee from Honduras will officiate Ghana Black Stars game at the FIFA World Cup but the second time a referee from North America [CONCACAF Confederation] to handle Ghana game in the competition.