Monterrey: FIFA has appointed Romanian referee Istv¡n Kov¡cs to officiate the landmark 1,000th match in the history of the FIFA World Cup. This historic event will take place during the Group F encounter between Tunisia and Japan at Monterrey Stadium on June 20.
According to Emirates News Agency, Kov¡cs will be assisted by fellow Romanians Ferencz Tunyogi and Mihai Marica. Costa Ricans Juan Calder³n and Juan Carlos Mora will serve as the fourth official and reserve assistant referee for this significant occasion in the tournament's history. Pierluigi Collina, FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, emphasized that the selection of Kov¡cs was based on the standard criteria used to choose the best official for the game.
Collina, a former referee who officiated the 2002 FIFA World Cup final, explained that while the appointment is a special honor for Kov¡cs, it was coincidental that he was selected for this landmark match. "We selected the referee that we think is the best referee for this match. And of course, by coincidence, he is also appointed for the 1,000th match," Collina stated. He noted that officiating a FIFA World Cup match is a privilege and honor, and being part of the tournament's history by officiating the 1,000th match is an added distinction.
Kov¡cs, aged 41, is recognized as one of Europe's leading referees. He participated in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as a fourth official across eight fixtures. His upcoming role in the 1,000th match at the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be his first as the main referee in a FIFA World Cup match. Collina revealed that a special match kit with golden details, stripes, and a patch featuring the trophy and the number 1,000 has been created to commemorate this historic event.