Canada's Drew Fischer at the 2024 Olympic men's quarter-final between Egypt and Paraguay. Fischer will be one of FIFA's officials at this summer's World Cup.Julio Cortez/The Associated Press
Canadian referee Drew Fischer, a two-time MLS referee of the year, has been named to FIFA’s officiating panel for the 2026 World Cup.
The 45-year-old from Calgary was in charge of the 2025 MLS Cup final, which saw Inter Miami defeat the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1.
Fellow Canadians Lyes Arfa and Micheal Barwegen will join Fischer at the 48-team tournament as assistant referees.
FIFA’s tournament officiating crew includes 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials, drawn from all six confederations and 50 member associations.
The expanded 104-match tournament has made for the largest officiating crew with 41 more match officials than in Qatar in 2022.
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The list includes six female officials.
“The selected match officials are the very best in the world,” Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s chief refereeing officer and chairman of the FIFA referees committee, said in a statement.
“They were part of a wider pool of officials that was identified and monitored over the past three years ... The selected officials have received, and will continue to receive, comprehensive support from our fitness coaches and medical staff, including physiotherapists and a mental specialist.
“Our goal is to ensure that they’re in optimal physical and mental condition when they arrive in Miami on 31 May.”
Referee Drew Fischer shows a yellow card to Botafogo's Gregore during the Club World Cup match between PSG and Botafogo last June. Fischer also served as referee, fourth official and video match official during the 2024 Olympic Games, the FIFA Women’s World Cup (2019 and 2023), FIFA Club World Cup (2020 and 2021, as well as 2025) and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.Gregory Bull/The Associated Press
The officials will hold a 10-day “preparation seminar” in Miami before video match officials relocate to Dallas, which will be home to the International Broadcast Centre. Referees, assistant referees and support staff will remain in Miami.
Fischer was a repeat winner of the MLS top referee award in October, becoming the first to earn consecutive honours since Alan Kelly in 2015-16. Kelly, since retired, also won in 2018.
Fischer took charge of two matches during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. He also served as referee, fourth official and video match official duties during the 2024 Olympic Games, the FIFA Women’s World Cup (2019 and 2023), FIFA Club World Cup (2020 and 2021, as well as 2025) and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
He made his MLS debut in August 2012.
The 39-year-old Arfa who speaks French, English and Russian, was born in Moscow but moved to Algeria with his family when he was 1. The family relocated to Laval, Que. when he was 11.
He started refereeing at 16 and made Canada Soccer’s list of referees and assistant referees in 2011 and FIFA’s list in 2021.
The 40-year-old Barwegen, a native of Coaldale, Alta., has served on Canada Soccer’s list since 2012 and FIFA’s list since 2018.