Announcement of the Refereeing Team for the France-Iraq Match

The FIFA Referees Committee has revealed the name of the referee who will lead the match between the Lions of Mesopotamia and the French Roosters on the morning of Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Lincoln Field in Philadelphia as part of the second round of Group Nine in the 2026 World Cup. The choice fell on Canadian Drew Fischer, in his first appearance as a field referee in the history of the Men's World Cup finals.

Drew Fischer was born on July 10, 1980, in Calgary, Canada. He joined the list of FIFA-accredited international referees in 2015, and since then, he has been steadily climbing the elite ladder. Today, he is classified as one of the prominent field referees in North America and the Major League Soccer (MLS).

Fischer's record in recent years opens the doors of global recognition for him. He has officiated over 229 matches in the MLS, which is a significant experience in handling high-paced games and stars from various football schools. This track record earned him the award for the best referee in the American league for two consecutive seasons, 2024 and 2025, a testament of confidence from clubs, players, and media there.

On the international level, he led 9 matches in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, known for their intense crowds and roughness. He also participated in major tournaments such as the Club World Cup, the Gold Cup, and the Women's World Cup. The most important point is that he worked as a VAR referee in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which means he is adept with modern technology and knows how to make decisions under pressure.

Appointing Fischer for the Iraq-France match carries two messages. The first is that FIFA trusts him and grants him a major match in his first World Cup appearance as a field referee. The second is that the match itself is a heavyweight test: Iraq is looking to compensate for their 1-4 loss to Norway, and France leads the group with an offensive arsenal led by Mbappe.

Fischer's style in the MLS is known for letting the game continue without interrupting the rhythm for every contact, which may benefit Iraq if they apply Arnold's conservative plan and rely on counterattacks. At the same time, he is strict with protests and does not hesitate to show cards when a player steps out of line. The Lions of Mesopotamia are required to control their tempers in the face of provocations from French stars.

FIFA did not leave Fischer alone. They chose a cohesive team to give him comfort in managing the match. The assistants will also be from Canada, Michael Barwegen and Leslie Alvaro, who are international referees that have worked with Fischer frequently in the American league and CONCACAF qualifiers.