‘A student of the game’: Drew Fischer heads all-Canadian officiating unit at World Cup

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

A team of three Canadian soccer officials, led by referee Drew Fischer, is making history as the first all-Canadian officiating group at a FIFA World Cup during the 2026 tournament co-hosted by Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Their participation highlights the growth of Canadian refereeing on the world stage, with their advancement in the tournament contingent on their on-field performance and strict conflict-of-interest rules.

A trio of Canadian soccer officials is making history by officiating together at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Leading the group is 45-year-old referee Drew Fischer from Calgary, accompanied by assistant referees Micheal Barwegen from Alberta and Lyes Arfa from Quebec. This marks the first time an all-Canadian officiating team has participated in the tournament on home soil.

Fischer, who began refereeing at age 13 and joined Canada Soccer’s list of referees in 2007, has extensive experience, including MLS games since 2012 and international assignments since 2015. He has balanced his refereeing career with consulting work in environmental engineering but now focuses full-time on officiating. For this World Cup, Fischer served as the fourth official in a recent match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Miami, with Barwegen as the reserve assistant referee.

Barwegen, 40, juggles his duties as an assistant referee with a career in education, teaching mathematics at Coalhurst High School near Lethbridge, Alberta. Known for his extensive travel schedule during the MLS season, he has been on the Canada Soccer list since 2012 and joined FIFA’s roster of assistant referees in 2018. His wife is a nurse, and they have a young daughter.

Lyes Arfa, also 40, is a partner at a law firm in Quebec City. Born in Moscow, raised in Algeria, and now based in Quebec, Arfa is multilingual and has been a full-time referee since leaving environmental consultancy work. He started officiating in his teens and progressed to the international stage when he received his FIFA badge in 2021. Initially a referee, Arfa transitioned to the assistant referee role for increased opportunities and prefers being on the field over video review assignments.

The Canadian officials have worked together internationally for three years and have developed close communication and trust, which is essential for split-second decision-making on the field. Their preparation includes detailed study of the playing styles of different teams and ongoing debriefs and group sessions led by FIFA refereeing officials to refine their performance throughout the tournament. Fischer emphasized the intense scrutiny officials face, with thousands of eyes watching every decision.

While the trio has been assigned to games across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Fischer noted that they will not officiate matches involving Canada or its Group B rivals to avoid any conflict of interest. The extent to which they advance in the tournament will depend on their performances.

Despite the pressures and global attention, Fischer described his pre-match nerves as a source of focus rather than anxiety and highlighted the unique emotional experience of walking onto the field amid the World Cup atmosphere. The Canadian referees are among 167 officials from around the world bringing their skills to the tournament, representing a blend of professional careers and dedication to soccer officiating at the highest level.