2026 World Cup: Istvan Kovacs to referee Tunisia – Japan

21.06.26 FT World Cup

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Japan

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FIFA has appointed Istvan Kovacs to officiate the match between Tunisia and Japan, part of the second matchday in Group F of the World Cup.

This fixture will take place on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at 4 a.m. GMT at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey, Mexico. It's a historic showdown, marking the 1000th match in World Cup history.

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To celebrate this landmark, the Romanian referee will wear a special jersey featuring golden stripes on the sleeves and a "Match 1000" badge. The same kit will be donned by his assistants, Ferencz Tunyogi and Mihai Marica.

The 41-year-old referee will be taking charge of his first-ever World Cup match, despite boasting a wealth of experience—he officiated the 2022 Europa Conference League final between AS Roma and Feyenoord, the 2024 Europa League final between Atalanta Bergamo and Bayer Leverkusen, as well as the 2025 Champions League final between PSG and Inter Milan.

After suffering a heavy 1-5 defeat to Sweden, the Carthage Eagles are under pressure to bounce back under the guidance of their new manager Hervé Renard, who has just replaced Sabri Lamouchi.

Meanwhile, Japan is aiming for their first victory of the tournament and looking to build on their promising 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opener.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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