Canadian referee Drew Fischer to take charge of his first World Cup match in France vs Iraq

Drew Fischer will referee France vs Iraq at Philadelphia Stadium, marking the Canadian official’s first World Cup match after years of experience across North American and CONCACAF competitions.

Fischer, 45, has held FIFA referee status since 2015, building the bulk of his career in MLS, where he was named the league’s Referee of the Year in both 2024 and 2025. He has also officiated regularly at the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Gold Cup, and served as a Video Match Official at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Fellow Canadians Micheal Barwegen and Lyes Arfa will run the lines, while Swiss official Sandro Schärer takes the fourth official role in Philadelphia, with compatriot Stephane De Almeida as reserve. American Joseph Dickerson will oversee VAR, assisted by Uruguayan official Antonio Garcia.

The match carries significant weight in Group I. France arrive having beaten Senegal 3-1 in their opener, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice to become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer. A second consecutive win would seal Les Bleus’ place in the knockout phase ahead of their final group game against Norway.

Iraq, meanwhile, are in need of a turnaround after conceding four goals — two of them from Erling Haaland — in a 4-1 defeat to Norway. A win against France would reignite their hopes of progression from the group.

One additional variable hanging over the fixture is the weather. Forecasted storms in the Philadelphia region could prompt match officials to invoke FIFA’s bad weather protocols, potentially delaying kick-off.