FIFA has appointed Portuguese referee João Pinheiro to officiate Saturday's 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and Switzerland at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Pinheiro's appointment has drawn attention because of the controversy surrounding some of his decisions during last season's UEFA Champions League semifinal. Saturday's match will also be his first time officiating Argentina, while Switzerland will be playing under his supervision for the second time at this World Cup.
Why Has João Pinheiro Been Criticized?
Much of the criticism of Pinheiro comes from last season's UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
One of the most talked-about moments came when Bayern Munich appealed for a penalty after what appeared to be a handball by PSG midfielder João Neves inside the box.
Pinheiro waved play on, and the VAR officials did not ask him to review the incident on the pitchside monitor. The decision drew heavy criticism from Bayern players, club officials and German media.
Earlier in the match, Pinheiro was also involved in another controversial incident. PSG defender Nuno Mendes, who had already been booked, initially appeared to concede a foul that could have resulted in a second yellow card.
However, after consulting his fourth official, Pinheiro instead awarded a free kick to PSG for a disputed handball by Bayern's Konrad Laimer, meaning Mendes avoided a potential red card.
Those decisions were the most debated refereeing moments of last season's Champions League and have resurfaced after Pinheiro's appointment for Argentina's World Cup quarterfinal.
João Pinheiro's World Cup Record
Pinheiro has already officiated two matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
His first assignment was Switzerland's 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the group stage. During that match, he showed three yellow cards, sent off Bosnia defender Tarik Mehremović and awarded Switzerland a late penalty.
He later took charge of the Round of 16 match between Canada and South Africa, where he showed just two yellow cards in a much calmer contest.
Saturday's match will be Pinheiro's first-ever game involving Argentina.
So today, every call made by João Pinheiro will likely come under intense scrutiny.
