Frank Christian
As Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain prepare for their match in the prestigious Club World Cup final, the officials are also getting ready for the big game.
Referees from various parts of the globe will come together to ensure the integrity of the match, with representatives from three continents involved in the officiating team.
Leading this crew is Iranian-Australian referee Alireza Faghani, who has been chosen to referee the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in the U.S.
This article provides key information about the main match official and his supporting team on the field.
Faghani named as the referee for the Club World Cup final
Faghani brings extensive experience as a FIFA-certified referee to the 2025 Club World Cup final.
This isn’t his first significant international match; Alireza Faghani has officiated many high-profile games across the globe, including a previous Club World Cup final.
At 47 years old, Faghani was born in Iran and began his officiating career in the Persian Gulf. He became a FIFA referee in 2008 and quickly advanced within the AFC, overseeing key matches such as the 2014 AFC Champions League final, the 2015 AFC Asian Cup final, and the 2016 Olympic men’s football final between Brazil and Germany that was decided by penalties.
He also refereed the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup final in Japan, where Barcelona defeated River Plate 3-0. If he officiates Sunday’s final, he will be the second referee to oversee multiple Club World Cup finals, following Uzbekistan’s Ravshan Irmatov, who managed the events in 2008 and 2011.
Since relocating to Australia in 2019, Faghani has become one of the leading officials in the A-League. He has officiated six matches across the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, including the playoff for third place between Belgium and England in 2018.
Faghani is the second Australian to officiate FIFA’s top club event, following Chris Beath in 2021.
Faghani’s history with Chelsea and PSG
This Sunday’s referee has already been involved in one match for this summer’s Club World Cup featuring Chelsea.
Alireza Faghani officiated Chelsea’s quarterfinal win over Palmeiras, which the Blues secured with a 2-1 score, aided by an own goal from Weverton late in the match.
This final is the fourth match that Faghani has overseen during this tournament, having also handled two matches in the group stage, including the inaugural game between Inter Miami and Al Ahly, which ended in a scoreless draw. He did not hesitate to give yellow cards to both Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets for unsporting behavior, showcasing his authority with big-name players.
Although Faghani has never refereed a match involving PSG, he has officiated a game featuring some of their stars. He was in charge during Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Serbia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where PSG captain Marquinhos was part of the victorious squad.
Officiating crew for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final
While Alireza Faghani will lead the officiating for the Club World Cup final, he will work alongside a diverse team from both Australia and beyond.
The crew includes two assistant referees from Australia, which is standard as the on-field officials are often a cohesive group from the same nation.
Argentine referee Facundo Tello will serve as the fourth official, having officiated two matches in the current Club World Cup. The VAR team will be led by German referee Bastian Dankert, who made headlines for controversially awarding a penalty to England against the Netherlands in a Euro semifinal last summer, following a foul by Denzel Dumfries on Harry Kane.
- Referee: Alireza Faghani (AUS)
- Assistant referee: Anton Shchetinin (AUS)
- Assistant referee: Ashley Beecham (AUS)
- 4th official: Facundo Tello (ARG)
- VAR: Bastian Dankert (GER)
- Assistant VAR: Tatiana Guzman (NCA)
- Support VAR: Ivan Bebek (CRO)
