Algerian Radio
The International Football Federation (FIFA) has appointed an Argentine refereeing crew, led by Yael Falcón Pérez, to officiate the match between the Swiss and Algerian national teams next Friday (4:00 AM Algerian time) in the Canadian city of Vancouver, as part of the 2026 World Cup round of 32.
Falcón Pérez will be assisted by his compatriots Maximiliano Del Yesso and Facundo Rodríguez, while the Mexican Kevin Ortega will serve as the fourth official, and his compatriot Michael Orué has been appointed as the reserve assistant referee.
Yael Falcón Pérez was born on December 15, 1988, in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, and has held a FIFA international badge since 2022. Before entering the world of refereeing, he was a physical education teacher and a lifeguard, before quickly making his way into the Argentine Primera División since 2019.
The Argentine referee has officiated many continental matches, most notably in the Copa Libertadores and the 2024 Copa América, in addition to the men's football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
During the 2026 World Cup, Falcón Pérez refereed the Sweden vs. Tunisia match in Group F, which ended in a (5–1) victory for Sweden, and he also officiated the Mexico vs. Czech Republic clash in the group stage.
The Argentine referee is known for his style that gives advantage to continuous play while maintaining discipline, as his average exceeds five yellow cards per match.
The national team qualified for the round of 32 after finishing the Group J matches in third place, and will aspire to continue its campaign against the Swiss team, the leaders of Group B.
Should Les Verts succeed in reaching the round of 16, they will face the winner of the other round of 32 match, which will pit the national teams of Colombia and Ghana against each other.
