Top News

After Portugal’s emphatic victory over Uzbekistan, Colombia are aware that they must secure a win against DR Congo to reclaim the top position in Group K.

Colombia made a strong start to their campaign with a 3-1 triumph over Uzbekistan, but they now face a tougher challenge against the African side DR Congo.

The match is set to kick off at 3 a.m. BST at Guadalajara Stadium. Here’s a look at who will be taking charge of the game and the officials supporting him on the sidelines and in the VAR room.

Italian referee Maurizio Mariani has been appointed to officiate the Colombia vs DR Congo Group K fixture.

Mariani, who hails from Italy, has already refereed one match in the ongoing 2026 World Cup—a 1-1 draw between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Notably, he issued only one yellow card during that encounter.

Primarily overseeing matches in Serie A, Mariani earned his FIFA international referee status in 2019 and was elevated to the UEFA Elite category in 2024.

In the past year, Mariani has officiated 32 matches across various competitions. On average, he shows 3.34 yellow cards per match, which aligns with standard refereeing figures. However, he tends to be sparing with red cards, having shown only two over the last twelve months.

Over the course of his career, Mariani has demonstrated a slightly stricter approach, averaging 4.25 yellow cards and 0.25 red cards per match.

Earlier this year, Mariani was the referee for the UEFA Europa Conference League final, where Crystal Palace overcame Rayo Vallecano.

Assisting him at Guadalajara Stadium will be fellow Italians Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni, who will serve as assistant referees. Juan Calderon from Costa Rica has been designated as the fourth official, while Juan Mora will be on standby as the reserve referee, ready to step in if required.