Group C of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is heating up, with Brazil set to face Haiti in a match that could reshape the standings immediately after Morocco moved to the top with a victory against Scotland.

On paper, Brazil have a golden opportunity to close the gap on Morocco right away. Haiti, meanwhile, have endured a difficult start — beaten by Scotland in their first World Cup appearance since 1974, a team that has never claimed a single point at the finals.

The referee: Ivan Barton

El Salvador's Ivan Barton has been appointed to officiate the match. At 35, Barton has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2018 and is a familiar face in CONCACAF competition, having overseen numerous matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

This is not Barton's first World Cup. He was among CONCACAF's five referees at the Qatar edition four years ago, where he took charge of three matches — Japan's celebrated upset of Germany, Brazil's group stage win over Switzerland, and England's round of 16 clash against Senegal.

His disciplinary record

Barton showed a restrained hand in Qatar, booking just three players across his three assignments. That stands in stark contrast to his domestic record in El Salvador, where he averaged close to five yellow cards per match across 24 games in the 2025 and 2026 Apertura and Clausura seasons — and issued 12 red cards in that same span.

Penalties were also a regular feature of those domestic fixtures, with Barton awarding a spot-kick in roughly every other game, including several in heated Clausura encounters.

The full officiating team

Barton will be supported on the touchlines by fellow Salvadoran David Moran and Nicaragua's Henry Pupiro. Jamaica's Oshane Nation serves as the fourth official, while Qatar's Khamis Al-Marri takes responsibility for VAR.