Why Is France Angry About FIFA’s Referee Appointment for the Morocco World Cup Match
FIFA said the crew includes Facundo Tello and four fellow Argentines, the first all-one-nation officiating team in this World Cup.
- On Wednesday, FIFA confirmed that an all-Argentine crew, led by referee Facundo Tello, will officiate the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal between France and Morocco, marking the first time this tournament that all referees hail from one nation.
- Fans expressed confusion over the unorthodox appointment, particularly following Argentina's controversial 3-2 victory against Egypt on Tuesday, where Argentina scored three goals in 12 minutes while an early Egyptian goal was revoked.
- Joining Tello are assistant referees Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade, with Dario Herrera and Cristian Navarro serving as fourth official and reserve assistant referee; Tello previously supervised Morocco's quarterfinal win against Portugal in Qatar.
- Tensions surrounding the selection are compounded by the intense international rivalry between France and Argentina, which has persisted since Argentina defeated France in the 2022 World Cup final.
- FIFA typically reveals referee appointments one or two days before matches, prioritizing experienced officiating crews for the tournament's latter stages, a practice that explains Tello's selection despite the controversy.
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65 Articles
FIFA announced that the match between France and Morocco will be refereed by Argentines, sparking a storm on social media.
The quarter-final schedule of the World Cup will be opened by the national teams of France and Morocco, and the match will have a lot of Argentine flavor. For the first time this year, all the referees at the World Cup, including those in the VAR room, will be from one country - you guessed it, Argentina.
Facundo Tello will lead the trans-Andean team of judges who will be in the aforementioned duel for the quarter-finals of the planetary appointment.
Spectacle is there, yes. But also polemic. After Argentina’s return to Egypt in the eighth round of the 2026 World Cup, defined by the African group as a “journey” by certain arbitral decisions, a new controversy has flourished. And, again, with the Albiceleste in the middle. FIFA is at the point of criticism after designating an arbitral panel composed in its entirety by Argentine judges for the meeting that will confront France and Morocco in …
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