José María Sánchez Martínez is a Spanish football referee born in Lorca (Murcia), Spain on 3 October 1983. He made his La Liga debut on 29 August 2015 and has been FIFA-listed since 2017. He is part of the current top-flight refereeing pool in Spain and is regularly relevant for pre-match analysis, appointment previews and VAR-focused discussion.
In the 2025/26 La Liga season, Sánchez Martínez has officiated 10 league matches, averaging 27.20 fouls, 0.50 penalties, 4.40 yellow cards and 0.30 red cards per game. Those numbers point to a high-intervention profile, with a high foul count and frequent stoppages, and a noticeable tendency to point to the spot. For The VAR Verdict, that statistical snapshot helps readers understand the disciplinary threshold and general tone he has shown this season.