Jordan and Argentina face off in a pivotal Group J match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, both teams vying for a spot in the knockout stage. Argentina enters the game with a desire to win the group stage, while Jordan must win to keep the World Cup alive. FIFA has hired one of Europe’s most seasoned referees to handle the big match.
Romanian referee István Kovács has been named as the man in charge of Jordan vs Argentina.
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The 41-year-old UEFA official is considered one of the top referees in Europe and has been in charge of many big Champions League, Europa League, and international matches.
Tunisia and Japan. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)” loading=”lazy” width=”960″ height=”540″ decoding=”async” data-nimg=”1″ src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wVfkXJrPd94KJOo5UfCAjw–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/athlon_sports_articles_610/b3d26ae32b76ee671d68b7e61d67aab6″>
Referee Istvan Kovacs reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Tunisia and Japan. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
He has also been a referee in the UEFA Europa League Final in 2024 and the UEFA Europa Conference League Final in 2022, where he has been known for his ability to handle high-pressure situations.
This will be Kovács’ second World Cup appearance. He also led Japan to a win over Tunisia in the Group F stage of the tournament, giving him more World Cup experience to his résumé.
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Entire Referee Team for Jordan vs. Argentina
FIFA has appointed the following officials for the Group J match:
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Referee: István Kovács (Romania)
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Assistant Referee 1: Mihai Marica (Romania)
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Assistant Referee 2: Ferencz Tunyogi (Romania)
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Fourth Official: Dahane Beida (Mauritania)
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Reserve Assistant Referee: Jerson Santos (Angola)
Marica and Tunyogi have been part of Kovács’ officiating team for a long time and have served him in many UEFA Champions League and international matches.
Dahane Beida has already appeared at this World Cup, having officiated the Group J opener between Austria and Jordan. Angola’s Jerson Santos will be the assistant referee in reserve.
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The match is of crucial importance, with qualification at stake, and FIFA’s choice of Kovács highlights that. The Romanian referee has a wealth of experience in the biggest club competitions in Europe, and another World Cup match to call as Lionel Messi looks to take grab a win.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Soccer section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
