Alireza Faghani will referee france vs senegal on Tuesday at 21:00 at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, giving France’s opening World Cup match a familiar official with major-tournament mileage. FIFA unveiled the assignment on Friday, and the appointment puts a 48-year-old veteran in charge of one of the first marquee fixtures of the 2026 World Cup.
Faghani's World Cup track
Faghani has been a FIFA international referee since 2008, and this will be the third World Cup of his career. He already worked at the 2018 World Cup and the 2022 World Cup, a record that separates him from newer officials in the tournament pool.
His World Cup history includes France’s 4-3 round of 16 win over Argentina in Russia, one of the most recognizable games he has handled on that stage. He was also appointed to the Club World Cup final, where Chelsea beat PSG 3-0, adding another high-profile assignment to his résumé.
MetLife Stadium and France
The match itself lands early in the tournament schedule: France will face Senegal on Tuesday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. With the officiating crew now set, the game moves from general planning to a fixed assignment, and Faghani’s name now sits at the center of that opening-night pressure.
France gets a referee with more than a decade of experience in Iran before his move to Australia, plus a track record in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Senegal gets the same thing every opponent gets at this stage: a neutral assignment from a referee who has already handled knockout games and final-level appointments.
Friday's assignment list
Friday’s release of the officiating assignments locked in the crew for the next set of 2026 World Cup matches, with France-Senegal among the games now on the books. For supporters heading to MetLife Stadium, the practical takeaway is simple: the time is 21:00, the venue is East Rutherford, and the referee will be Faghani.
That combination matters because the opening match is now set in full, from kickoff to official. France and Senegal can prepare for the football itself; the official in the middle is no longer part of the uncertainty.
