The United States and Australia face off today in one of the most anticipated matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, with both teams looking to strengthen their position in Group D.
While much of the attention will be on the players and the implications for the standings, FIFA’s referee appointment has also generated interest ahead of kickoff at Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field).
The official in charge of the match will be Felix Zwayer of Germany. FIFA selected him as part of the elite group of officials overseeing the tournament, entrusting him with a clash that could have a significant impact.
All the referees for United States vs Australia
The complete officiating crew for United States vs Australia consists of eight match officials led by German referee Felix Zwayer. FIFA appointed an experienced international team for this crucial Group D clash.
Felix Zwayer during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and FC Bayern München (Source: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Zwayer, one of UEFA’s elite referees, takes charge as the main referee after being selected as Germany‘s only on-field referee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He has officiated in the Bundesliga since 2009 and became a FIFA-listed referee in 2012.
| Role | Official | Country |
| Referee | Felix Zwayer | Germany |
| Assistant Referee 1 | Robert Kempter | Germany |
| Assistant Referee 2 | Christian Dietz | Germany |
| Fourth Official | Katia Garcia | Mexico |
| Reserve Assistant Referee | Sandra Ramirez | Mexico |
Who are the VAR officials for USA vs Australia?
The VAR team for United States vs Australia is headed by Germany’s Bastian Dankert. He is joined by Assistant VAR Hamza El Fariq of Morocco and Support VAR Bram Van Driessche of Belgium.
Dankert is among the video match officials selected by FIFA for the 2026 World Cup and has extensive experience working in Germany’s Bundesliga and UEFA competitions. The VAR crew could play a particularly important role in this match.
The United States was already involved in one of the tournament’s most talked-about video reviews during its opening victory over Paraguay, when a yellow card shown to Tim Ream was overturned after a VAR review determined there had been a mistaken identity incident.
With both teams entering the match after opening-round victories, any offside decision, penalty review or potential red-card incident could have a significant impact on the race for first place in Group D.
What time does USA vs Australia kick off today?
United States vs Australia kicks off at 3:00 p.m. ET on Friday, June 19. The match is being played at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, as part of the second round of Group D fixtures at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Both nations enter the contest with three points after winning their opening matches. USMNT defeated Paraguay 4-1, while Australia earned a 2-0 victory over Turkey, making this one of the most important games of the group stage so far.
