France and Spain were two of the favorites to lift the World Cup at the end of the tournament but only one will get the chance to play the final on July 19th. The two European giants will meet today in the first of two semifinals to decide the finalists and the match will be refereed by Ivan Barton.
Who is Ivan Barton?
Barton is from El Salvador and has been a FIFA-sanctioned referee since 2018. He has spent most of his time refereeing CONCACAF competitions, including the National Cup and Gold Cup. The 35-year-old is taking part in his second World Cup, having previously been selected by FIFA to officiate the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as per AS.
Also Read: Why are Nico Williams, Pedri and Gavi not starting today? Spain vs France lineup explained
Ivan Barton’s Career and FIFA Record
The Salvadoran referee made history earlier in this tournament when he became the first referee to send off a player for covering his mouth during a confrontation.
Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron was caught covering his mouth while saying something to Turkish player Mert Muldur, as per AS. Barton also took charge of the Japan vs Sweden group stage match before being assigned the Switzerland vs Colombia round of 16 match.
Ivan Barton’s salary
Being a referee at a World Cup is considered one of the highest honors in the profession, with officials required to pass rigorous physical, technical and psychological evaluations organized by FIFA.
According to information published by The Times, central referees like Barton receive a base payment of $100,000 for being part of the World Cup. On top of that, there are extra payments of between $5,000 and $10,000 for each game officiated, meaning Barton’s earnings could keep rising as he gets more appointments in the tournament.
To officiate the World Cup final, his total earnings could reach nearly $300,000, including bonuses earned during the tournament, as per La Prensa Grafica.
FIFA also pays assistant referees, fourth officials and Video Assistant Referees (VARs), with the amount depending on their role. VAR officials and assistants are estimated to receive bonuses of about $3,000 per match during the group stage and around $5,000 per match in the knockout rounds, along with fixed payments for the entire tournament.
In addition to salaries and bonuses, FIFA covers accommodation, food, transportation and other logistical expenses for all officials during the World Cup, per La Prensa Grafica.
