News / Sports

FIFA invites Iran’s Faghani to seminar for 2018 World Cup

Tuesday, 21 February 2017 1:43 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 21 February 2017 1:44 PM ]

Iranian football referee Alireza Faghani (center)

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has officially invited Iranian football referee Alireza Faghani to the Referee Seminar for 2018 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Italy later this year.

The international governing body of association football, futsal, and beach soccer sent out an invitation to the 38-year-old Iranian on Sunday.

The Referee Seminar for 2018 FIFA World Cup will kick off in the central Italian city of Florence on April 3, and will come to close on April 7, 2017. A total of 53 referees from across the world will come together to attend the five-day seminar.

Faghani has been officiating in Persian Gulf Pro League for seven seasons and has been on the international list since 2008.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decorated Faghani together with Iranian linesmen Reza Sokhandan and Mohammad Reza Mansouri with the AFC Referees Special Award 2016 last November.

The trio received their award from the AFC Referees Committee Vice Chairman, Hany Taleb Ballan Safar, during the opening ceremony of the AFC Elite Referees and Assistant Referees Seminar in the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur on November 20, 2016.

The men’s trio from the Islamic Republic of Iran officiated the final soccer match of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 21.

The hosts beat Germany 5-4 on penalties to win their first men's Olympic football gold medal.

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