Colombia and Portugal meet with a lot on the line to close out Group K of the 2026 World Cup. Fans in attendance for the game at Miami Stadium can expect an action-packed showdown with no shortage of flares and vitriol. As a result, the referees will have plenty of work to do.
The match’s first official will be Alireza Faghani, who was in charge during France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal. Thus, the Australian-Iranian referee has already gained experience at the 2026 World Cup. During Colombia’s matchup against Portugal, however, he may have to stay on top of the action at all times, or the game could get out of hand.
Both sides know everything that’s at stake and how a win, loss, or draw will impact Colombia and Portugal, as well as Group K standings. Needless to say, emotions will be running high.
Faghani’s decorated résumé
The Australian-Iranian referee is already a highly regarded official in FIFA circles. The fact that he will be in charge of the star-studded matchup between the Lusos and Cafeteros is a strong indication of that. However, he has also officiated several other marquee matchups in recent years.
Alireza Faghani (middle) during 2026 World Cup.
For Portuguese stars Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Nuno Mendes, Faghani’s presence may bring back painful memories. Faghani was the referee for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Final, when the aforementioned players and their club, PSG, fell to Chelsea 3-0.
Faghani has officiated Portugal in World Cup before
While the Portuguese players at PSG may not have fond memories of Faghani, the same can’t be said for Portugal as a whole. The Australian-Iranian officiated Portugal’s Group H match against Uruguay at the 2022 World Cup.
The Lusos went on to win 2-0, thanks to a brace from Bruno Fernandes. In that game, Faghani awarded Portugal a penalty, which Fernandes cashed in for his second goal. Perhaps Faghani’s presence against another South American national team in soccer’s biggest tournament serves as a beacon of hope for Portugal.
Still, it’s clear that if Portugal want to win the group, they must beat Colombia. To do so, they can’t afford to waste time worrying about the referee.
Full referee list for Colombia vs Portugal
Obviously, Faghani won’t be by himself. From the touchlines, he will be joined by fellow Australian assistant referees George Lakrindis and James Lindsay. Said Martinez (Honduras) will be the fourth official, while his countrymen Walter Lopez will serve as Reserve Assistant Referee.
Watching from the booth, Video Assistant Referee will be Jerome Brisard from France, joined by AVAR Hernan Mastrangelo (Argentina) and SVAR Mahmoud Ashour (Egypt).
- Referee: Alireza Faghani
- Assistant Referee 1: George Lakrindis
- Assistant Referee 2: James Lindsay
- Fourth official: Said Martinez
- Reserve Assistant Referee: Walter Lopez
- VAR: Jerome Brisard
- AVAR: Hernan Mastrangelo
- SVAR: Mahmoud Ashour
