Panama vs. England: Who is the referee and VAR for 2026 World Cup Group L clash?

By Matt Law | 26 Jun 2026 16:25, Last updated: 26 Jun 2026 16:32

Who is the referee and VAR for Panama vs. England World Cup match?

Panama and England square off in their third and final Group L fixture at the 2026 World Cup on Saturday, with the contest taking place at MetLife Stadium.

England are currently top of the section, boasting four points from their opening two games at the tournament, while Panama are bottom and have already been eliminated, having been beaten in their two matches at the 2026 competition.

Ahead of this matchday three contest, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the referee and VAR appointments for Panama vs. England.

Who is the referee for Panama vs. England?

FIFA have confirmed that referee Abdulrahman Al Jassim will be the man in the middle for the Group L battle between Panama and England.

Al Jassim has been in charge of one match at the 2026 World Cup - the 1-1 draw between Portugal and Congo DR on June 17.

The 38-year-old was also a referee at the 2022 World Cup, taking charge of games between USA and Wales, and Croatia and Morocco.

Abdulrahman Al Jassim's record in Panama and England matches

Al Jassim has never officiated a Panama or England match, so history will be made here.

The Qatari referee does have experience of a high-level match at a World Cup, though, as the Croatia vs. Morocco game that he officiated in 2022 was the third-placed playoff.

Who is the VAR for Panama vs. England?

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for this match is yet to be confirmed.

Sandro Schaerer of Switzerland will act as the fourth official, while Taleb Salem Al Marri and Saoud Ahmed will be assistant referees supporting Al Jassim.