Who is Gustavo Tejera, the referee for Australia vs Egypt in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup?

Either Australia or Egypt will match their best-ever performance at a FIFA World Cup in 2026, with the two sides meeting in the round of 32 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Friday.

The Socceroos reached the knockout stages by finishing second in Group D, which also included the United States men’s national team, Paraguay and Türkiye. Mohamed Salah’s Egypt also finished second in Group G, behind Belgium on goal difference but ahead of Iran and New Zealand.

Uruguay’s Tejera leads match officials in Dallas

Uruguayan referee Gustavo Tejera has been selected as the main official for the match, and will be joined on the field by countrymen Carlos Barreiro and Nicolás Taran, who will serve as his assistant referees.

Switzerland’s Sandro Schärer will act as fourth official, while compatriot Stéphane De Almeida has been named reserve assistant referee.

Selected for his first World Cup, Tejera previously took charge of the Group A clash between Mexico and South Korea, which the co-hosts won 1-0.

Who is Gustavo Tejera, the referee for Australia vs Egypt?

Tejera was born in Montevideo in 1988. He made his professional refereeing debut in Uruguay’s top flight in 2014 and has since overseen 161 matches in the domestic league. He earned his FIFA badge in 2018 and debuted on the international club stage in the 2019 Copa Sudamericana. He later worked Copa Libertadores matches in 2020 and was also selected for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

At international level, Tejera broke into senior competition officiating during CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying for this summer’s tournament. He has also handled matches at the youth level, including the 2023 U-17 World Cup and the 2025 U-20 World Cup. The clash between Mexico and South Korea will mark his first appearance at a senior FIFA World Cup.

Tejera has built a reputation as a referee who prefers decisive action over lengthy conversations. Across 345 official matches, he has issued a total of 1,735 yellow cards - clear evidence of his strict, no-nonsense approach on the field.

Australia vs Egypt: kickoff times, how to watch in the U.S.

Ther round of 32 matchup kicks off today, Friday, July 3, at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT. Viewers in the United States can watch all the action on FOX Network, FOX One, Telemundo and Telemundo Deportes En Vivo.

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