Who is Drew Fischer, the referee for Argentina vs Cape Verde in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup?

Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will face surprise package Cape Verde in the World Cup round of 32 on Friday, and FIFA has already confirmed the match officials. Canadian referee Drew Fischer will take charge of the knockout clash.

The 45-year-old is one of the most experienced referees in Major League Soccer, having officiated 229 matches in North America’s top domestic league.

What World Cup 2026 games has Fischer refereed?

Fischer has already worked two games at the 2026 World Cup. He was the referee for France’s 3-0 victory over Iraq, highlighted by a starring performance from Kylian Mbappé, and Croatia’s 2-1 win over Ghana. Despite his experience, one controversial decision from his international career is still remembered across CONCACAF.

Honduras still remembers him

In 2023, Fischer was the VAR official for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal between Mexico and Honduras. During the closing stages, he advised referee Iván Barton that the match should have 11 minutes of added time.

Although Barton initially signaled only nine minutes, Fischer reminded him that two additional minutes still needed to be played. During that extra period, Mexico scored a dramatic equalizer before eventually winning the tie on penalties.

Later in the same tournament, Fischer was appointed to referee the final between Mexico and the United States. The Americans claimed a 2-0 victory to lift the trophy.

Has Fischer officiated Argentina before?

Fischer has refereed Argentina only once before. It came in a pre-2024 Copa América friendly against Ecuador at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Argentina won 1-0 thanks to Ángel Di María’s lone goal. Just a month later, Lionel Scaloni’s side captured its 16th Copa América title, defeating Colombia in the final with Lautaro Martínez scoring the winning goal in the 112th minute of extra time.

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