Facundo Tello is the France vs Morocco referee for Thursday’s World Cup quarter-final. The Argentine arrives with history already attached.
Tello, 44, will lead an all-Argentine crew at Gillette Stadium in Boston, with kick-off at 9pm UK time. Notably, it is the first match of this tournament to be handled entirely by officials from one nation. A semi-final place is at stake, along with a serious move in the World Cup winner odds. As a result, every call will carry weight.
| Name | Facundo Raúl Tello Figueroa |
| Born | 4 May 1982, Bahía Blanca, Argentina (age 44) |
| FIFA referee since | 2019 |
| Argentine top flight since | 2013 |
| Matches officiated | 434 |
| Yellow cards | 2,032 (4.68 per game) |
| Red cards | 149 (0.34 per game) |
| Penalties awarded | 113 (0.26 per game) |
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 8 July 2026.
Who is Facundo Tello?
Born in Bahía Blanca in 1982, Tello has refereed in the Argentine top flight since 2013. His FIFA badge followed in 2019. Since then, he has taken in a World Cup and the sharp end of South American club football. In addition, he refereed at Euro 2024 as part of CONMEBOL’s exchange with UEFA.
His numbers mark him out as a strict official. Indeed, he averages 4.68 yellow cards per game across 434 matches, per Transfermarkt. His tally also includes 149 red cards and 113 penalties awarded. Most famously, he showed ten red cards in the 2022 Trofeo de Campeones final. Seven went to Boca Juniors and three to Racing.
Facundo Tello World Cup record
| World Cup matches | 5 (three at Qatar 2022, two in 2026) |
| Yellow cards | 15 (3.00 per game) |
| Red cards | 1 (Walid Cheddira, Morocco vs Portugal, 2022) |
| Penalties awarded | 0 |
World Cup record courtesy of Transfermarkt.
Thursday will be Tello’s sixth World Cup match. At Qatar 2022 he took charge of Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon and South Korea 2-1 Portugal. Most importantly, he also refereed Morocco‘s 1-0 quarter-final win over Portugal. That was the night the Atlas Lions became Africa’s first semi-finalists — with Tello in the middle.
At this World Cup he has refereed Canada 1-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina and South Africa 1-0 South Korea. He showed five yellow cards in the first and just two in the second. His only World Cup red card so far went to a Morocco player — Walid Cheddira, in stoppage time of that famous night against Portugal. However, he has never taken charge of France.
France vs Morocco referee: what can both sides expect?
Tournament Tello has been calmer than domestic Tello. Seven bookings in two games, no red cards and no penalties suggests an official content to let the game breathe. However, his career record shows the threshold can drop quickly when a match boils over. Boca and Racing can testify to that. Both camps also have selection calls to weigh. Our France vs Morocco team news and predicted lineups cover those.
He will be assisted by compatriots Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade. Darío Herrera is the fourth official, with Christian Navarro the reserve assistant. The all-Argentine France vs Morocco referee appointment has generated noise, because Lionel Scaloni’s side are still in the tournament. FIFA’s neutrality rules are satisfied, though, and the France camp have played it down. Morocco, meanwhile, know better than most what a Tello night can become.
FAQs
He has refereed Morocco once, in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final against Portugal, which Morocco won 1-0. However, there is no record of him taking charge of a senior France match.
Tello has shown 149 red cards across 434 matches, per Transfermarkt — 75 straight reds and 74 second yellows. In fact, ten of those came in a single match, the 2022 Trofeo de Campeones final between Boca Juniors and Racing.
Facundo Tello is supported by assistant referees Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade. Also on duty are Darío Herrera as fourth official and Christian Navarro as reserve assistant, completing an all-Argentine crew.
Of course, the whistle is only part of the story. Our France vs Morocco predictions and best bets cover the betting angle. You can also follow every call in our France vs Morocco match centre.