FIFA has appointed Argentine referee Facundo Tello to officiate Thursday’s quarterfinal between France and Morocco at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The fixture is a rematch of the memorable 2022 World Cup semifinal, where France defeated Morocco to reach the final.
France enter the match after winning all three Group I fixtures before defeating Sweden 3-0 in the Round of 32 and Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16.
Morocco advanced from Group C before eliminating the Netherlands on penalties and beating Canada 3-0 to book their place in the last eight.
Also read: France vs Morocco LIVE Score FIFA World Cup: Kylian Mbappe fluffs penalty in huge let-off for MAR
Who is Facundo Tello?
Facundo Tello is a 44-year-old Argentine referee and a member of the Bahiense Association of Referees. He has officiated matches in Argentina’s top division since 2013 and became a FIFA-listed international referee in 2019.
Tello has steadily built a reputation as one of South America’s leading officials. Before arriving at the 2026 World Cup, he officiated matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024, the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, Copa Libertadores fixtures and several major Argentine domestic competitions.
The France-Morocco fixture marks Tello’s third assignment at the 2026 World Cup. Earlier in the tournament, he officiated the Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina group-stage draw on June 12 and the South Africa vs South Korea match on June 24.
All-Argentine officiating team for quarterfinal
FIFA has also appointed an entirely Argentine officiating crew for the match. Alongside Tello, assistant referees Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade will work the touchlines, while Dario Herrera will serve as the fourth official. Cristian Navarro has been assigned as the reserve assistant referee.
According to FOX Sports, this is the first match at the 2026 World Cup where every on-field match official comes from the same country.
The controversy around refereeing for France vs Morocco
FIFA’s decision to appoint an all-Argentine officiating team has sparked debate, particularly among French supporters.
The controversy follows Argentina’s dramatic Round of 16 victory over Egypt. The match caused a whirlpool of controversies after Egypt had a goal disallowed before Enzo Fernández scored a stoppage-time winner. Egyptian players and officials questioned several refereeing decisions and later lodged a formal complaint with FIFA regarding the officiating team.
The Independent has reported that assigning an Argentine crew to officiate one of Argentina’s principal title rivals could fuel unnecessary speculation, despite FIFA’s long-standing policy of appointing referees from neutral confederations and associations.
Tello is also known for his strict officiating style. In November 2022, he made global headlines after issuing 10 red cards during Argentina’s Champions Trophy final between Racing Club and Boca Juniors following a mass confrontation.
FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina has defended the integrity of the tournament’s officials. He said no one should question the referees’ independence and stressed they are “not influenced by anyone.”
