2 min readUpdated: Jul 10, 2026 07:36 PM IST For a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal against mighty France, Spain and Belgium will lock horns in the second quarterfinal at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday. La Roja scraped past Portugal in a tightly contested battle after Mikel Merino scored an injury-time winner off the bench. Belgium, meanwhile, were clinical in their 4-1 thrashing of co-hosts USA. British referee Michael Oliver will officiate the game, which kicks off at 12:30 AM IST. Who is Michael Oliver? This is Oliver’s second World Cup and his fourth assignment at this tournament. He has already overseen Netherlands-Sweden, Norway-France, and Canada-Morocco. The 41-year-old brings vast experience to the big stage, having officiated over 425 Premier League and 47 Champions League matches at the club level. He is regarded as one of the most trusted officials for both UEFA and FIFA. Spain vs Belgium will be his seventh World Cup game; his previous six include the Croatia-Brazil quarterfinal in Qatar and three matches at this …