Who Is the Referee In Spain vs. Cabo Verde World Cup Match?
Spain and Cape Verde will open their 2026 World Cup Group H campaign with Jordanian official Adham Makhadmeh appointed as the head referee for the game in Atlanta.
FIFA has confirmed a full international officiating crew for the match, featuring officials from Jordan, Colombia, USA, and Qatar.
Main Referee Spain vs. Cape Verde: Adham Makhadmeh
Adham Makhadmeh is one of Asia's most experienced referees and will take charge of a World Cup match for the first time at the senior level.
Makhadmeh is also making history as the first-ever Jordanian central referee to officiate a match at a senior men's FIFA World Cup.
- Nationality: Jordan
- FIFA-listed since: 2013
- Major competitions: AFC Champions League, FIFA U-20 World Cup, Tokyo Olympics, World Cup qualifiers
- Notable milestone: First Jordanian referee to officiate a senior men's FIFA World Cup match
Adham Makhadmeh is one of the top referees in Asian football right now. The AFC always trusts him with the biggest, highest-pressure knockout matches and finals because he knows how to keep intense games under control.
Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh has been appointed to officiate the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match between Spain and Cape Verde on June 15. #WorldCupwithMickypic.twitter.com/99NctvfO0I
— Micky Jnr (@MickyJnr__) June 12, 2026
Refereeing Style: The 'Jordanian Collina'
Makhadmeh has a reputation for having a strict and authoritative approach to match control.
He has drawn comparisons in Arab media to legendary referee Pierluigi Collina.
- Strict disciplinarian: Quick to penalize dissent and tactical fouls
- Card average: ~5.56 yellow cards per match this season
- Game control: Relies heavily on early disciplinary action to manage tempo
- Awards a penalty roughly every 4.5 games
Career Achievements
Makhadmeh has officiated more than 55 AFC Champions League matches, including the 2017 final first leg between Al Hilal and Urawa Red Diamonds. His international experience also includes:
- FIFA U-20 World Cup (Poland 2019)
- Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
- Multiple AFC Asian Cup and World Cup qualifying matches
His appointment for Spain vs Cape Verde represents his biggest career assignment to date.
Career Controversies
Despite his strong FIFA reputation, Makhadmeh's assertive style has occasionally sparked debate.
- 2019 AFC Asian Cup Opener: He faced intense criticism after awarding a late, highly controversial penalty to the host nation UAE against Bahrain.
- Jordan Pro League Penalties (2026): In a tense domestic match between Al-Salt and Al-Faisaly, Makhadmeh became the center of a big local refereeing controversy. He awarded 2 penalties to Al-Faisaly within a ten-minute window, triggering protests from Al-Salt's players, coaching staff, and fans who claimed the decisions unfairly altered the match.
Full Officiating Crew for Spain vs. Cape Verde
FIFA has confirmed the complete refereeing team for the Group H match:
- Head Referee: Adham Makhadmeh
- Assistant Referee 1: Mohammad Al-Kalaf (Jordan)
- Assistant Referee 2: Ahmad Al-Roalle (Jordan)
- Fourth Official: Andrés Rojas (Colombia)
- VAR: Joseph Dickerson (USA)
- Assistant VAR: Khamis Mohamed Al Marri (Qatar)
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 8:45 AM.