The match between France and Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage saw a historic milestone for referee Alireza Faghani.
By officiating the opening match of the tournament for both teams, Faghani became the first referee in football history to take charge of matches across four different editions of the FIFA World Cup.
His World Cup journey began in Brazil 2014, followed by Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, before continuing in the 2026 tournament held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Although he previously represented Iran earlier in his career, Faghani is now officially listed under Australia, where he has been based in recent years.
The milestone further strengthens his reputation as one of the most experienced and respected referees in modern football, trusted by FIFA to oversee high-profile international matches across multiple generations of the game.
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