France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the World Cup quarterfinals on Thursday, extending an unusual record of success in matches officiated by Argentinian referees. The appointment of an all-Argentinian on-field crew had drawn criticism before the game due to the recent rivalry between France and Argentina. Despite the debate, France improved its record to six wins in World Cup matches with Argentinian officials, the highest total for any nation. The result also repeated the 2-0 scoreline from their 2022 semifinal meeting. FIFA had named Argentine referee Facundo Tello to lead the match, supported by compatriots Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade. The choice followed the organization’s practice of assigning officials from the same country and marked the first time all five on-field officials came from one nation at the 2026 tournament. Some fans questioned the decision on social media, citing potential bias. FIFA maintained that its referee selections were consistent and independent. Once play started, France dominated and limited Morocco to a single shot on target late in the match. The victory advanced France to another semifinal while reinforcing the statistical pattern. FIFA’s chief refereeing officer defended the officials’ integrity and rejected claims of external influence, stating that decisions are made honestly and without interference.
