Who is Jesus Valenzuela? Meet referee officiating France vs England FIFA World Cup 2026 Third place play-off

Jesus Valenzuela will officiate his sixth game at the FIFA World Cup.

Venezuelan official Jesus Valenzuela is confirmed to officiate the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff encounter between France and England. He will be managing his fourth game at the newest edition, proving his reliability throughout the tournament.

Jorge Urrego and Tulio Moreno will be his assistants for the game. The Venezuelan trio has worked together across major high-profile matches. It includes the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Final 2024, Copa Libertadores Final 2023, as well as games at the World Cup.

Jesus Valenzuela has managed three games so far in the 2026 edition. His appointment has raised massive media attention, with the Venezuelan referee considered a strict “disciplinary enforcer.” This is something both France and England will have to take care of.

Also read: Who is Ismail Elfath? Meet referee who officiated England vs Argentina FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final

Who is Jesus Valenzuela?

Jesus Valenzuela was born in Portuguesa, Venezuela, in 1983. He climbed through the ranks of South American football, earning accolades. He was named Venezuela’s CONMEBOL best referee in 2021 by the IFFHS.

He received his international FIFA badge in 2013. Valenzuela has managed several high-profile matches throughout his career, including the Copa Sudamericana Final in 2020, the Copa Libertadores Final in 2023 and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Final in 2024.

Jesus Valenzuela’s World Cup Record

By officiating the France vs England game, Jesus Valenzuela will be managing his sixth career game as a head referee at the FIFA World Cup. His tournament debut came in the 2022 edition in Qatar. He managed two matches in the tournament, including the England vs United States group stage fixture and France vs Poland in the Round of 16.

He finished that tournament earning widespread praise for his calm demeanour under intense pressure. In the FIFA World Cup 2026, he has refereed three matches so far. In his first outing of the competition, Australia defeated Turkey 2-0.

He then oversaw Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 3-1 win over Qatar in the group stages, before managing his third game in the Round of 32, as Norway defeated Ivory Coast 2-1.

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