Canadian referee Drew Fischer to officiate Iraq-France World Cup match

SALADIN, Iraq — FIFA has appointed Canadian referee Drew Fischer to officiate the Iraq-France group-stage match at the 2026 World Cup, the federation announced. The fixture, part of the second week of group play in Group 9, is scheduled for Tuesday at midnight local time at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Iraq enters the match after a 4-1 defeat to Norway in its opening game, leaving the team in need of points against France to keep its tournament hopes alive. France, listed among the leading contenders for the title, opened its campaign earlier in the group stage. The Iraq-France meeting is one of several second-week group games set for Philadelphia as the tournament progresses toward the knockout rounds.