Venezuelan referee Jesus Valenzuela has been appointed to officiate the Group D opener between Australia and Turkey at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Valenzuela will be assisted by two fellow Venezuelans — Jorge Urrego and Tulio Moreno — as his assistant referees, while Peru's Kevin Ortega takes on the role of fourth official.

A referee with serious credentials

Valenzuela is no stranger to the international stage. Since his debut in 2013, the 42-year-old has built a career spanning nearly 400 matches, starting out in the Venezuelan Primeira Division before rising to global prominence.

His experience at the highest level includes three Copa America tournaments, and in December 2021 the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) crowned him CONMEBOL's best referee — a recognition that underlines his standing in the game.

Booking habits to watch

Supporters of both sides will want to know what to expect from Valenzuela's disciplinary approach. He averages close to five yellow cards per game, having issued nearly 2,000 yellows and 115 red cards across his career. That average is a full booking per match higher than the referee who handled the tournament's preceding fixture, Scotland vs Haiti.

Contrasting form heading into Group D

The two sides arrive at this Group D clash in very different states of readiness. Turkey have been in dominant form, recording six wins and one draw in their last seven matches — most of them World Cup qualifiers — and will look to carry that momentum into the tournament.

Australia, by contrast, head into the competition after a difficult run of results: four defeats, two wins, and a draw from their last seven outings, conceding nine goals along the way. All seven of those matches were international friendlies.

There is an added footnote for Turkey heading into the match: their most recent pre-tournament friendly was a 2-1 victory over Valenzuela's own Venezuela, coming from a goal down inside the opening 15 minutes.