Although Vinotinto failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Venezuela has left an indelible mark on soccer’s biggest event through music, refereeing and solidarity.
From the opening ceremony, Venezuelan talent began to make itself felt with Danny Ocean, who made the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City vibrate by performing Partidazo, one of the official songs of the tournament. The singer also took advantage of the world stage to pay tribute to his country by wearing a jacket with burgundy colors and details inspired by the national flag.
Now, the Venezuelan leadership will continue in the closing of the championship. FIFA confirmed that Jesús Valenzuela will be the main referee of the third place match between France and England, accompanied by his compatriots Jorge Urrego and Tulio Moreno as assistants.
The appointment represents new recognition for the refereeing trio, which has already officiated three matches during the tournament and will face one of the most important commitments on the World Cup calendar.
But the Venezuelan presence will not end there. In Sunday’s grand final, conductor Gustavo Dudamel will lead a special performance during the historic halftime show, the first ever in a World Cup final. Dudamel will lead a performance alongside musicians from the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, in a segment that will also serve as a tribute to the victims of the recent earthquakes that affected the country.
In recent days, the version has also circulated that FIFA will allocate one dollar for each ticket sold to help Venezuela after the earthquakes. However, there is no official confirmation from FIFA about this measure. What has been announced is that the halftime show is part of solidarity initiatives promoted together with Global Citizen and that Dudamel will later lead a charity concert to raise funds for the reconstruction of the country.
Thus, without having a representative on the pitch, Venezuela has found other ways to say it is present at the 2026 World Cup: with the voice of Danny Ocean, the international prestige of Jesús Valenzuela and the baton of Gustavo Dudamel, three figures who have brought the name of the country to one of the largest sporting stages on the planet.
