Wilton Sampaio, the referee who issued three red cards in the FIFA World Cup 2026 opener between Mexico and South Africa, was born in Brazil's Teresina de Goiás in 1981. Sampaio began officiating in Brazil's top division in 2009 and received his FIFA badge in 2013. The 44-year-old has also officiated at the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.