Why France v Morocco referee appointment has sparked World Cup controversy

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleArgentine referee Facundo Tello and an all-Argentine officiating crew have been appointed to oversee France's World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Morocco on Thursday, sparking significant controversy before the match has even begun. This marks the first instance in the tournament where an entire knockout fixture's officiating team hails from a single nation, and comes amid accusations of favouritism towards Argentina, who are considered a main rival to France for the World Cup crown. The appointment follows Argentina's contentious progression to the quarter-finals, which involved a disallowed goal and a disputed foul leading to a stoppage-time winner against Egypt, prompting an official complaint from the Egyptian team. Despite Fifa's Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina defending the integrity of the tournament's officiating, the decision to assign an all-Argentine crew to a match involving a major rival has further fuelled conspiracy theories among fans and media. Tello, who previously officiated Morocco's 2022 World Cup quarter-final win over Portugal and is infamous for sending off 10 players in a single match in 2022, will be taking charge of his first knockout game of World Cup 2026. In fullFrance v Morocco referee: Who is under-fire Argentine official Facundo Tello at World Cup 2026?More bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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