Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 24

Facundo Tello to Referee South Africa-South Korea Decider After 10-Red-Card 2022 Final

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 24

Facundo Tello to Referee South Africa-South Korea Decider After 10-Red-Card 2022 Final

Q: Will a referee famed for issuing 10 red cards in one final decide the World Cup fate of South Africa and South Korea?

Yes. FIFA has appointed Argentine referee Facundo Tello to officiate the decisive Group A match between South Africa and South Korea in Guadalupe, Mexico, so he will be the on-field official for a game that could determine which team reaches the knockout stage. Tello’s reputation for strict control is well established. He is best known internationally for the 2022 Champions Trophy final in Argentina, where he issued 10 red cards after a chaotic finish. More broadly, he has handled more than 400 senior matches, averaging roughly 4.7 yellow cards and 0.34 red cards per game, and has worked at the 2022 World Cup, Copa Libertadores and Euro 2024. That does not mean he is likely to “decide” the match by himself. FIFA tends to assign experienced referees to high-pressure fixtures precisely because they are trusted to manage volatile moments. Tello also already worked a match at this World Cup, Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he showed five yellow cards but no extraordinary disciplinary intervention. The stakes are clear: South Africa realistically needs a win, while South Korea only needs a draw to finish second behind Mexico. Tello will therefore oversee a tense, potentially physical contest, but the outcome should still hinge more on the teams’ discipline and performance than on his reputation. He will be assisted by Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade, with Alexander Guzman as fourth official. The VAR team had not yet been announced in the pre-match information.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 24

Facundo Tello will officiate Wednesday's Group A match between South Africa and South Korea at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. local time.
South Africa need a win to keep any realistic hope of reaching the knockout stage, while a draw would be enough for South Korea to secure second place behind already-qualified Mexico.
Tello is handling his second game of the tournament after Canada's 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina; assistants Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade will work the lines.
The Argentine referee brings a high-profile record that includes the 2022 Champions Trophy final between Boca Juniors and Racing Club, where he issued 10 red cards, plus three matches at the 2022 World Cup.