The upcoming France vs Morocco encounter at the 2026 World Cup brings back memories of their 2022 semi-final meeting, which ended in a 2-0 victory for France.

Didier Deschamps’ side are aiming for a third consecutive appearance in the World Cup final, having triumphed in 2018 and narrowly lost to Argentina in the 2022 final.

Morocco, who made history as the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2022, will look to achieve another remarkable milestone by repeating that feat.

Overseeing this high-stakes quarter-final fixture is Argentinian referee Facundo Tello. He will be joined by compatriots Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade, who will serve as the assistant referees for the match.

Additionally, two more officials from Argentina will assist in the proceedings: Dario Herrera will take on the role of fourth official, while Cristian Navarro will act as the reserve assistant referee.

Tello is an experienced referee with five World Cup matches under his belt, including two in North America. Earlier in this tournament, he officiated Canada’s 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina and South Africa’s 1-0 victory over South Korea in Group A.

At the 2022 World Cup, Tello was in charge of Morocco’s 1-0 quarter-final win over Portugal, during which he issued five cards, including one red.

Known for maintaining composure on the pitch, Tello averages only 3.2 yellow cards per match at the World Cup level, reflecting a controlled refereeing style. However, in Argentina’s Liga Profesional de Fútbol, where he has handled most of his professional assignments, that figure rises to 5.7 bookings per game.

Interestingly, despite officiating five World Cup fixtures, Tello has not yet awarded a single penalty at the tournament.