Dario Herrera named referee for Belgium vs Iran at World Cup 2026 Group G clash

Argentinian referee Dario Herrera has been appointed to officiate Belgium’s World Cup 2026 Group G meeting with Iran at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with both sides entering the fixture level on points after draws in the opening round.

Herrera is a long-standing FIFA-listed referee who primarily works in Argentine domestic football. He brings considerable experience of high-pressure occasions, having officiated seven Superclasicos between Boca Juniors and River Plate — widely regarded as the most intense club derby in the world. On the international stage, he has previously taken charge of two Copa America 2024 matches: Colombia vs Paraguay and Uruguay vs Brazil.

Despite that pedigree, Belgium vs Iran will mark Herrera’s first World Cup fixture as the principal referee, a significant step up in profile.

He will be assisted by fellow Argentinians Cristian Navarro and Gabriel Chade, with Japan’s Yusuke Araki serving as fourth official. The video assistant referee role falls to Hernan Mastrangelo, also from Argentina, supported by Leodan Gonzalez of Uruguay and Spain’s Carlos de Cerro Grande.

Belgium enter the match as favourites, though Iran arrive at the tournament ranked 20th in the world and cannot be dismissed lightly. The two nations have no previous meeting to draw on, adding an extra layer of uncertainty to a fixture that both sides need to win to improve their Group G standing. The game kicks off at 8pm BST.