Darío Herrera (referee)

Darío Herrera
Herrera in 2015
Full name Darío Humberto Herrera
Born (1985-02-24) 24 February 1985
Andacollo, Neuquén Province, Argentina
Other occupation Physical education teacher
Domestic
Years League Role
2013– Argentine Primera División Referee
International
Years League Role
2015– FIFA listed Referee

Darío Humberto Herrera (born 24 February 1985[1]) is an Argentine international football referee who officiates in the Argentine Primera División.

National career

Born in Andacollo, Neuquén,[1] Herrera made his debut as a referee in 2013,[2] leading the match between Colón and Vélez Sarsfield.[2][3] He is a member of the SADRA (the trade union of professional referees in Argentina). Herrera came under scrutiny in 2013, when during a season's match between San Lorenzo de Almagro and River Plate, he made player Julio Buffarini take a second change at a penalty kick because of an alleged advancement by goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero.[4][5]

Appearances in the Superclásico

As of May 2026, Herrera has refereed seven matches of Argentina's derby (Superclásico) between Boca Juniors and River Plate.[6] In May 2015, both teams faced each other in the round of 16 of the 2015 Copa Libertadores, and Herrera was appointed to oversee the second leg, which was played at the Bombonera Stadium. It was his first Superclásico, and it was also his debut in international competitions. The match was suspended at halftime due to an attack by a Boca Juniors' supporter towards the visiting players as they were about to return to the field for the second half.[7][8]

At local tournaments, Herrera was appointed and then formally assigned in September 2015 (he shared the nomination with Fernando Rapallini) to be in charge of officiating in the second Superclásico of the year.[7] The match ended in a 0–1 victory for Boca Juniors at the Estadio Monumental.[7]

In April 2026, Herrera refereed his seventh Superclásico, where he was assisted by Juan Pablo Belatti and Pablo González, while Héctor Paletta officiated as VAR.[9] During the last minutes of the match, River Plate player Lucas Martínez Quarta fell in the penalty area after a contact with Lautaro Blanco.[6] Herrera did not sanction the foul upon being assured by VAR Héctor Paletta, with both receiving heavy criticism afterward. Martínez Quarta ironically asked Herrera if he was going to the World Cup, suggesting Herrera's bad performances for the tournament.[6][10]

Other derbies

Herrera has also officiated in other clásicos, such as a 2025 Rosario derby between Newell's Old Boys and Rosario Central,[2] or less prominent clásicos at two Supercopa Argentina finals: the 2015 victory of San Lorenzo over Boca[11] and the 2019 River Plate 5–0 victory over Racing Club.[12]

International refereeing

Herrera has been an international FIFA-listed referee since 2015 and has since overseen matches in the CONMEBOL qualification for the World Cups.[13] He was also appointed as the second Argentine referee for the 2024 Copa América in the United States, the other being Yael Falcón Pérez.[14] Herrera oversaw two games: Colombia vs Paraguay for Group D in Houston,[15] and Uruguay vs. Brazil for the quarter-finals in Paradise, Nevada.[16]

In July 2025, Herrera refereed the Supercopa Internacional between Estudiantes de La Plata and Vélez Sarsfield,[17] as well as several matches at the Copa Sudamericana.[18] He has also officiated in Copa Libertadores and youth torunaments like the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, where he oversaw several games, including a round of 16 match between Morocco and South Korea in Rancagua.[19][20]

Herrera was appointed as the referee of the final of the 2025 Copa Libertadores between Palmeiras and Flamengo, played in Lima, Peru on 29 November 2025.[21] He was selected along with assistants referees Cristian Navarro and José Savorani and Nicolás Ramírez as the fourth official, all from Argentina. In charge of the VAR and AVAR were chosen other two Argentines: Héctor Paletta and Jorge Baliño, respectively.[22]

2026 FIFA World Cup

In March 2026, Herrera was the fourth referee at the final of pathway 1 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs) between DR Congo and Jamaica, where he took over as central referee following the injury of fellow Argentine Facundo Tello in the 114th minute of the match.[23] Days after the match, on 9 April, he was selected as one of the three Argentine central referees for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[24]

Herrera made his debut in the tournament in the Group G match between Belgium and Iran at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.[25] He showed a red card to Belgian center-back Nathan Ngoy following a foul interrupting a direct attack by Iranian player Mehdi Taremi.[26][27] The game ended in a 0–0 draw.[25]

Selected record

2024 Copa América – United States
DateMatchResultRound
24 June 2024 Colombia –  Paraguay2–1Group stage
6 July 2024 Uruguay –  Brazil0–0 (4–2)Quarter-finals
2025 Copa Libertadores – Lima, Peru[a]
DateMatchResultRound
29 November 2025Brazil Palmeiras – Brazil Flamengo0–1Final
2026 FIFA World Cup – North America
DateMatchResultRound
21 June 2026 Belgium –  Iran0–0Group stage

Notes

  1. ↑ The final game, not the entire tournament

References

  1. 1 2 García, Hugo (4 November 2024). "Designación. Darío Herrera vuelve a dirigir a Talleres, cómo se interpreta puertas adentro". La Voz (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "El curioso historial de Darío Herrera con Central y Newell's antes de su debut en el clásico". Vía País (in Spanish). 20 August 2025. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  3. ↑ "Darío Herrera, un árbitro debutante para Colón y Vélez". Sol 915 Radio (in Spanish). 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  4. ↑ "Barovero ya había atajado un penal igual y el juez lo validó". Infobae (in Spanish). 2 September 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  5. ↑ "La LPF sancionó al árbitro Darío Herrera por el error que perjudicó a Banfield ante River". CLG Noticias (in Spanish). 18 April 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "El árbitro Darío Herrera explicó por qué no cobró penal para River en la última jugada del partido ante Boca". Todo Noticias (in Spanish). 19 April 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "El historial de Darío Herrera en el Superclásico". ESPN (in Spanish). 2 May 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  8. ↑ "Suspenden el Superclásico por agresión a jugadores de River Plate". BBC News (in Spanish). 15 May 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  9. ↑ "La historia de Darío Herrera en el Superclásico: del gas pimienta al polémico penal sobre la hora". TyC Sports (in Spanish). 15 April 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "El árbitro VAR del Superclásico cobra casi $4 millones por mes como empleado de la provincia de Buenos Aires". Infobae (in Spanish). 13 May 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "Darío Herrera arbitrará la Supercopa Argentina". ESPN Latin America (in Spanish). 2 February 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "River goleó 5-0 a Racing en Santiago del Estero y se quedó con la Supercopa Argentina". Infobae (in Spanish). 4 March 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  13. ↑ Pulido, Carlos (4 September 2025). "Este el perfil del argentino Darío Herrera, árbitro del Colombia vs. Bolivia por Eliminatorias Sudamericanas". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Qué sucederá con Yael Falcón Pérez, tras su polémica actuación en River-Platense". La Gaceta (in Spanish). 21 May 2025. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Colombia y Paraguay ya conocen el nombre del árbitro para su debut en Copa América 2024". ESPN Latin America (in Spanish). 21 June 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  16. ↑ "El argentino Darío Herrera dirigirá Uruguay-Brasil en la Copa América 2024". TyC Sports (in Spanish). 4 July 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  17. ↑ "Árbitros confirmados para la Supercopa Internacional entre Estudiantes y Vélez". ESPN Latin America (in Spanish). 2 July 2025. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  18. ↑ Cuadros, Alejandro (19 July 2025). "¿Quién es Darío Herrera? Polémico árbitro dirigirá Grêmio vs. Alianza Lima por Copa Sudamericana fue suspendido dos veces en la Liga Argentina". La República (Peru) (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  19. ↑ "La FIFA no designó a ningún árbitro chileno para el Mundial Sub 20". ESPN Latin America (in Spanish). 23 July 2025. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  20. ↑ "Morocco 2 – 1 Korea Republic". FIFA Match Centre. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "Palmeiras y Flamengo jugarán la final de la Copa Libertadores en Perú: hora, formaciones y cómo verlo en vivo". Infobae (in Spanish). 29 November 2025. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  22. ↑ "Darío Herrera es el árbitro de la final de la Copa Libertadores: sus antecedentes dirigiendo a Palmeiras y Flamengo". DSports (in Spanish). 29 November 2025. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  23. ↑ "En vivo | Estas son las selecciones que ganaron el repechaje y aseguraron su cupo para el Mundial 2026" [Live | These are the teams that won their play-offs and secured their place at the 2026 World Cup]. Primicias (in Spanish). 31 March 2026. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  24. ↑ "Histórico: por primera vez habrá tres árbitros argentinos en un Mundial". Página 12 (in Spanish). 10 April 2026. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  25. 1 2 "World Cup 2026: Iran hold 10-man Belgium to goalless draw in Los Angeles". France 24. 21 June 2026. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "Did this challenge from Nathan Ngoy warrant a red card for Belgium? 🟥". www.foxsports.com. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  27. ↑ Vertelney, Seth. "Belgium defender Nathan Ngoy gets red card after terrible error vs Iran". USA TODAY. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
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