LaLiga has 20 first-team referees for the 2026/27 season, with match officials appointed through the RFEF’s Technical Committee of Referees (CTA). The referee team for each fixture can include the on-field referee, two assistant referees, a fourth official, a VAR and an AVAR.
The 2026/27 campaign also brings four newly promoted LaLiga referees — Luis Bestard, Jon Ander González, Carlos Muñiz and Manuel Jesús Orellana — while the CTA continues to publish referee appointments, VAR review audio and selected decision analysis during the season.
This guide explains who the LaLiga referees are in 2026/27, how appointments work, who oversees refereeing in Spain, how VAR is used and what has changed this season.
LaLiga Referees 2026/27: Full List
The RFEF’s 2026/27 referee structure includes 20 referees in Spain’s top division. The four promoted officials for this season are Bestard, González, Muñiz and Orellana.
| Referee | 2026/27 Status |
|---|---|
| Adrián Cordero Vega | First Division |
| Alejandro Hernández Hernández | First Division |
| Alejandro Quintero González | First Division |
| Carlos Muñiz Muñoz | Promoted for 2026/27 |
| César Soto Grado | First Division |
| Francisco Hernández Maeso | First Division |
| Isidro Díaz de Mera Escuderos | First Division |
| Javier Alberola Rojas | First Division |
| Jesús Gil Manzano | First Division |
| Jon Ander González Esteban | Promoted for 2026/27 |
| José Luis Munuera Montero | First Division |
| José María Sánchez Martínez | First Division |
| Juan Martínez Munuera | First Division |
| Luis Bestard Servera | Promoted for 2026/27 |
| Manuel Jesús Orellana Cid | Promoted for 2026/27 |
| Mateo Busquets Ferrer | First Division |
| Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias | First Division |
| Miguel Sesma Espinosa | First Division |
| Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea | First Division |
| Víctor García Verdura | First Division |
The CTA confirmed the four promotions after its end-of-season refereeing review. Iosu Galech Apezteguía and José Luis Guzmán Mansilla moved down from the top division, while Guillermo Cuadra Fernández and Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz moved away from main-referee duties and into VAR roles for 2026/27.
The official RFEF referee manual maintains the current-season lists for Primera División, Segunda División and the top women’s division.
Who Appoints LaLiga Referees?
LaLiga clubs do not choose the referee for their matches. Refereeing is overseen by the Comité Técnico de Árbitros (CTA), the Technical Committee of Referees within the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
For 2026/27, Fran Soto continues as president of the CTA. David Fernández Borbalán remains the committee’s technical director, with the professional-football commission also including Fernando López, Aitor Gorostegui, Eduardo Prieto and Juan Carlos Yuste.
The RFEF publishes official referee designations before league fixtures. Those appointment documents can identify the referee, assistant referees, fourth official, VAR and AVAR assigned to a game.
How Are Referees Assigned to LaLiga Matches?
Referee appointments are made centrally through the Spanish refereeing structure rather than by the participating clubs. The CTA manages the professional referee pool and assigns officials to fixtures across the competition.
The exact combination of officials changes from match to match. A typical appointment can include:
- Referee: the main on-field match official.
- Assistant referees: officials working along the touchlines.
- Fourth official: assists with substitutions, technical-area administration and other matchday duties.
- VAR: the video assistant referee who reviews specific match-changing situations under the Laws of the Game.
- AVAR: the assistant video referee supporting the VAR operation.
The RFEF publishes appointment notices throughout each matchday, making the assignments publicly available before kick-off.
How Does VAR Work in LaLiga?
VAR supports the on-field referee in clearly defined review situations rather than re-refereeing every decision in the match. Reviews can involve goals, penalty incidents, direct red cards and cases of mistaken identity.
For the 2026/27 season, the RFEF continues to publish audio from selected VAR reviews after matchdays. These releases give supporters more insight into communication between the VAR room and the on-field referee during reviewed incidents.
The federation also publishes its Tiempo de Revisión analysis programme. Selected incidents from Primera and Segunda División are reviewed and explained, with the 2026/27 editions continuing during the season.
What Is New for LaLiga Referees in 2026/27?
One of the biggest technological changes is the introduction of Connected Ball technology in every LaLiga EA SPORTS match.
The official match ball contains a radio-frequency sensor designed to provide additional ball-contact data. LaLiga says the technology was developed in collaboration with the CTA, PUMA and KINEXON and is intended to support refereeing decisions as well as competition data and broadcast analysis.
Referees and VAR officials received training on the new system before the season so that the information could be applied consistently across league venues.
The CTA also issued updated refereeing guidance for the 2026/27 campaign before the season began, alongside its annual preseason training and physical-testing programme for professional officials.
The Four New LaLiga Referees for 2026/27
Carlos Muñiz Muñoz
Muñiz earned promotion from the second tier into the Primera División referee group for 2026/27. He is one of four new on-field officials added to the top-flight pool this season.
Jon Ander González Esteban
González also stepped up from Segunda División after the CTA’s 2025/26 end-of-season assessment. His promotion adds another new official to the 20-referee LaLiga group.
Luis Bestard Servera
Bestard is another of the four promoted referees. His move into the top division followed a season of second-tier appointments and CTA evaluation.
Manuel Jesús Orellana Cid
Orellana completes the group of four promoted referees for the 2026/27 season after previously officiating in Segunda División.
Can LaLiga Clubs Choose or Reject a Referee?
No. Clubs do not select the referee who handles their league matches. Referee assignments are controlled through the official Spanish refereeing structure.
Clubs, coaches and players may publicly disagree with decisions, but that is different from having the power to select or veto an official. The referee appointment process is designed to remain independent of the competing teams.
How Are LaLiga Referees Evaluated?
Referees operate within a professional assessment system overseen by the CTA. Performance during the season can affect future assignments and, over a longer period, promotion or relegation between refereeing categories.
The changes before 2026/27 demonstrate that movement is possible in both directions. Four referees were promoted into the top-flight group, while other officials left the main Primera División referee list or moved into specialist VAR roles.
The CTA has publicly emphasized meritocracy, transparency and openness as part of its current refereeing structure.
LaLiga Referees and the Laws of the Game
LaLiga referees apply the Laws of the Game used across professional football, together with current-season interpretations and competition procedures. The RFEF’s referee committee distributes guidance before each campaign so officials can work from the same interpretation framework.
Refereeing decisions can directly affect the league table through penalties, red cards, goals and disciplinary incidents. For how match results translate into the standings, see our guide to the La Liga points system. If teams finish level on points, our LaLiga tiebreaker rules guide explains what happens next.
Where to Check the Referee for a LaLiga Match
The RFEF publishes official referee designations before Primera División fixtures. These appointment notices are the best place to confirm the referee and VAR team assigned to a particular match.
For upcoming games themselves, use our LaLiga schedule 2026/27. For the next round, see our LaLiga Matchday 8 preview. For the current table after completed matches, see the LaLiga standings.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 20 referees in the Primera División referee group for the 2026/27 season.
The four promoted referees are Carlos Muñiz Muñoz, Jon Ander González Esteban, Luis Bestard Servera and Manuel Jesús Orellana Cid.
Refereeing is overseen by the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) within the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which publishes match appointments.
Yes. LaLiga uses VAR, with designated video officials supporting the on-field referee for reviewable match-changing incidents.
Yes. During the 2026/27 season, the RFEF has continued publishing audio from selected VAR reviews after Primera División matchdays.
Clubs do not choose the referee assigned to their matches and do not control the official appointment process.
The RFEF publishes official Primera División referee designations before fixtures, including the main referee and relevant VAR appointments.
