FIFA appoint István Kovács to officiate historic 1,000th World Cup match between Tunisia and Japan

FIFA has confirmed Romanian referee István Kovács will take charge of a landmark fixture in World Cup history — the 1,000th match ever played in the tournament.

The historic Group F encounter between Tunisia and Japan will be held at Monterrey Stadium on 20 June during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Kovács will be supported by fellow Romanians Ferencz Tunyogi and Mihai Marica, who have been appointed as assistant referees for the match.

Meanwhile, Costa Rica’s Juan Calderón will serve as the fourth official, with Juan Carlos Mora named as the reserve assistant referee for the milestone fixture.