The update says Sampaio will take charge of the match that opens Group A, with Brazilian assistants Bruno Pires and Bruno Boschilia. Paraguayan official Juan Gabriel Benítez is reportedly set to serve as fourth referee.
If the appointment stands, Sampaio will walk into one of football’s most demanding assignments: a tournament opener, a historic stadium and the weight of a global audience. The first question will not simply be whether he gets individual decisions right, but whether players from both sides believe he is consistent.
The report also recalls Sampaio’s involvement in England’s previous World Cup loss to France, where decisions involving Bukayo Saka, Mason Mount and Harry Kane reportedly drew frustration.
Maguire’s criticism was unusually direct: “Acho que a tomada de decisão do árbitro durante todo o jogo foi muito ruim. Nós sempre estamos aqui e, como jogadores, somos criticados.”
His complaint was not limited to one incident. He also said: “Seria bom vê-lo dizer se fez um bom jogo ou não.” The message was clear: referees, like players, should face scrutiny when their performance influences the biggest moments.
A past controversy does not determine a future performance, but it can shape the atmosphere around a referee. Sampaio’s challenge will be to establish authority quickly, communicate clearly and avoid allowing one disputed call to dominate the contest.
The first whistle at Estadio Azteca will decide whether this becomes a story about old criticism or a fresh start under the World Cup spotlight.