The referee for the Mexico vs. England match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is Alireza Faghani, from Australia.

This game is the Round of 16 clash on Sunday, July 5, at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, and FIFA officially confirmed Faghani’s appointment.

Quick Scoop: Full Referee Team

Role| Name| Country
---|---|---
Referee| Alireza Faghani| Australia
Assistant Referee 1| George Lakrindis| Australia
Assistant Referee 2| Andrew Lindsay| Australia
Fourth Official| Jalal Jayed| Morocco
VAR Referee| Nicolas Gallo| Colombia
Assistant VAR| Juan Lara| Chile
Support VAR| Juan Soto| Venezuela
Reserve Assistant Ref.| Zakaria Brinsi| Morocco
FIFA Match Director| Luis Castro| Argentina
FIFA Match Commissioner| Orlando Conguta| Colombia

Data compiled from multiple sports reports covering the 2026 World Cup referee appointments.

Who Is Alireza Faghani?

Alireza Faghani is an experienced Australian referee who has handled high- profile matches across continents, including World Cups and continental tournaments.

He’s known for a calm but firm approach, and has been a regular on FIFA’s elite list of referees for many years.

The Mexico–England Round of 16 is widely seen as one of the toughest referee assignments of the tournament, with huge crowds at the Azteca and massive global attention.

Why This Referee Assignment Is a Talking Point

  • High stakes : Mexico vs. England is one of the most-watched fixtures of the 2026 World Cup, plus it’s in hostile, historic territory for England.
  • Controversy history : Faghani has been at the center of major debates in past matches, including moments where fans and media called for petitions against him.
  • Global spotlight : With VAR, multi-layer officials, and intense scrutiny, every decision in this game will be dissected instantly across social media and forums.

For fans following the match, the name you’ll most often hear is Alireza Faghani — the man with the whistle controlling one of the tournament’s biggest battles.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.