FIFA Defends Referee Iván Barton After Deschamps Questions His Semifinal Level

Didier Deschamps criticized referee Iván Barton after France's 2-0 semifinal loss to Spain, questioning whether the Salvadoran official was "at the level to referee a World Cup semifinal" Source: Infobae. FIFA's chief of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, swiftly defended Barton, stating, "Our referees are world class" Source: El Español.

The controversy

Deschamps, who is stepping down after 14 years as France coach, made the comments in a post-match interview. "I have a question, and I'm not going to answer it: does the referee have the quality to referee a World Cup semifinal?" he said, while also acknowledging Spain's superiority and his team's lack of creativity Source: Infobae. France midfielder Rayan Cherki echoed the sentiment, saying "the referee was not up to it," but added that "if we had played better, we would have won" Source: Infobae.

FIFA's response

Pierluigi Collina, the iconic former referee who heads FIFA's refereeing committee, did not hesitate to back Barton. "In response to Didier Deschamps' comments asking if our match referee had the level to referee a semifinal, FIFA's answer is clear: yes, definitely. Our referees are world class," he said Source: La Vanguardia, Heraldo MX. Collina's statement was reinforced by FIFA's official media account.

Barton, 35, is a chemistry graduate and has officiated four matches at this World Cup. He made headlines earlier in the tournament by becoming the first referee to apply the so-called "Ley Vinicius," sending off Paraguay's Miguel Almirón for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent Source: El Mundo. This incident was cited in several articles as a sign of his firmness.

The controversy is part of a broader debate about refereeing standards at the 2026 World Cup, with Egypt also complaining about official François Letexier's performance against Argentina, and the US benefiting from a suspension being overturned after President Trump's intervention Source: El Nacional, Heraldo MX.