Martinez’s path began unusually early. He made his Honduran top-flight debut at 18, becoming the youngest referee in the division’s history before establishing himself across Concacaf club and international football.
Although he studied maths at university, officiating became his long-term direction. His first World Cup appearance came in Qatar, where he handled Switzerland’s 1-1 draw.
Now, he is set to become the first referee from Honduras to take charge of a World Cup fixture.
“I never thought I'd be an international referee, a World Cup referee,” Martinez said, reflecting on a career that has moved rapidly from domestic football to the global stage.
The England-Ghana fixture carries added weight because first place in the group is at stake. That places Martinez at the centre of one of the tournament’s most important early encounters, with every decision likely to face intense scrutiny.
He will not be working alone. Hondurans Walter Lopez and Christian Ramirez have been named assistant referees, while Ning Ma of China is the fourth official. Guillermo Pacheco of Mexico will serve as the video assistant referee.
The appointment also represents a wider point of pride for Martinez. He has credited his family and the people who helped develop referees in Honduras, making the occasion larger than a personal milestone.
Boston will test Martinez’s authority, composure and communication in a fixture involving two ambitious international teams. For a referee who once viewed the World Cup as unimaginable, it is an opportunity to turn an extraordinary rise into a defining tournament performance.
The spotlight now shifts to his first whistle - and to whether he can deliver calmly when England and Ghana fight for Group L supremacy.