Yael Falcón

Yael Falcón Pérez (born 15 December 1988 ) is an Argentine football referee who has been on the FIFA International Referees List since 2022.

Career National Born in Buenos Aires in December 1988, Falcón began refereeing matches in the Primera C division of Argentine football in 2017. Falcón's knowledge in first aid helped stabilize Olariaga until an ambulance arrived and took him to Hospital Argerich, where he made a full recovery. Falcón credited his training as a lifeguard and the training that he had received in San Bernardo del Tuyú, where he worked the summer season as a lifeguard. By then, he had taken part in eight Primera B Nacional matches and two Copa Argentinas. One of his most controversial matches was a match between River Plate and Club Atlético Platense in the Estadio Monumental, where he made detrimental decisions against Platense in a crucial game for the team that ultimately managed to ascend to the top-tier league. During the penalty shootout draw after the match ended in a tie, Platense's captain Ignacio Vázquez did not make eye contact with Falcón and did not address him directly due to his anger.

In May 2026, Falcón was selected as the referee of the Torneo Apertura final between River Plate and Club Atlético Belgrano at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba.

International A May 2025 note by Clarín described Falcón as a favourite of Claudio Tapia, the president of the Argentine Football Association. His career quickly rose in prominence, with the coordinator of the referees' body, former referee Federico Beligoy, assigning several matches in the Primera B and the AFA Liga Profesional de Fútbol to Falcón.

International competitions within CONMEBOL for Falcón include Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores editions and qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making his debut on 20 March 2025 in a match between Peru and Bolivia. Falcón had another controversial performance, this time at a game between Alianza Lima of Peru and Deportes Iquique during the 2025 Copa Libertadores third round.

Between 2023 and 2024, Falcón also refereed in Saudi football after the Saudis submitted a request for professional referees. Falcón was appointed as a referee for the men's tournament of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Personal life Falcón is a physical education teacher by profession and, in addition to his refereeing activities, was a municipal employee in the city of Lanús from 2020 to 2023.

Falcón resides in Lanús.

Selected performances 2024 Copa América – United States Date Match Result Round Venue 2 July 2024 – 2–1 Group stage Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas 2024 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament – Paris Date Match Result Round Venue 24 July 2024 – 3–0 Group stage Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 2 August 2024 – 4–0 Quarter-finals Parc des Princes, Paris 2026 Torneo Apertura Date Match Result Round Venue 24 May 2026 River Plate – Belgrano 2–3 Final Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba 2026 FIFA World Cup – North America Date Match Result Round Venue 14 June 2026 – 5–1 Group stage Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Nuevo León 24 June 2026 – 0–3 Group stage Estadio Azteca, Mexico City 2 July 2026 – 2–0 Round of 32 BC Place, Vancouver