Alireza Faghani to join the Hyundai A-League as a Full-time Referee

Alireza Faghani to join the Hyundai A-League as a Full-time Referee

Football Federation Australia (FFA) today confirmed that one of the top referees in the world, Alireza Faghani, will become a full-time, contracted referee for the upcoming Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season

Alireza recently made the decision to migrate to Australia from the Islamic Republic of Iran for family reasons and as a result FFA offered him a contract to officiate in the Hyundai A-League

An extremely well respected international match official, Alireza most recently refereed two (2) matches at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 as well as four (4) matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup including the third place play-off match between Belgium and England, two (2) matches at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and also the gold medal match at the 2016 Olympic Games Men’s Football tournament between Germany and Brazil. He was named the AFC Referee of the Year twice in 2016 & 2018 and is probably best remembered by Australians as the referee for the AFC Asian Cup 2015 Final between the Caltex Socceroos and Korea Republic in Sydney.

Alireza will join Chris Beath, Shaun Evans and Alex King who are also full-time referees for the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season

FFA Chairman and Chair of the FFA Referees Committee, Chris Nikou, was thrilled to be able announce that Alireza would be joining the Hyundai A-League referees panel for the upcoming season.

“It is a great honour for us to have a referee of the caliber of Alireza Faghani joining the Hyundai A-League and I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Strebre Delovski – President of the PFRA who was critical to facilitating this appointment given the strength of their professional relationship,” said Nikou.

“It was extremely fortuitous for us that Alireza and his family had chosen to move to Australia and it was a very easy decision for us to make to offer him a position as a match official in the Hyundai A-League.

“His international experience will be a huge asset for the competition and, in addition, he will be able to mentor our young, up and coming match officials as well.

“We look forward to seeing Alireza in action for the upcoming Hyundai A-League season,” concluded Nikou.

Alireza was excited about the new challenge of refereeing in the Hyundai A-League.

“Once my family made the decision to move to Australia, it was fantastic that the opportunity to referee in the Hyundai A-League came about,” said Faghani.

“It was a very big decision to leave our home country, but I am extremely thankful that I am still able to referee professionally in one of the top domestic leagues in Asia and also continue my career as an international match official.

“I have refereed many times in Australia and with Australian clubs so I am very familiar with the players and venues.

“My family and I are very much looking forward to moving to Australia and starting the next chapter of our lives,” concluded Faghani.

An extremely well respected international match official, Alireza most recently refereed two (2) matches at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 as well as four (4) matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup including the third place play-off match between Belgium and England, two (2) matches at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and also the gold medal match at the 2016 Olympic Games Men’s Football tournament between Germany and Brazil. He was named the AFC Referee of the Year twice in 2016 & 2018 and is probably best remembered by Australians as the referee for the AFC Asian Cup 2015 Final between the Caltex Socceroos and Korea Republic in Sydney.

Alireza will join Chris Beath, Shaun Evans and Alex King who are also full-time referees for the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season

FFA Chairman and Chair of the FFA Referees Committee, Chris Nikou, was thrilled to be able announce that Alireza would be joining the Hyundai A-League referees panel for the upcoming season.

“It is a great honour for us to have a referee of the caliber of Alireza Faghani joining the Hyundai A-League and I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Strebre Delovski – President of the PFRA who was critical to facilitating this appointment given the strength of their professional relationship,” said Nikou.

“It was extremely fortuitous for us that Alireza and his family had chosen to move to Australia and it was a very easy decision for us to make to offer him a position as a match official in the Hyundai A-League.

“His international experience will be a huge asset for the competition and, in addition, he will be able to mentor our young, up and coming match officials as well.

“We look forward to seeing Alireza in action for the upcoming Hyundai A-League season,” concluded Nikou.

Alireza was excited about the new challenge of refereeing in the Hyundai A-League.

“Once my family made the decision to move to Australia, it was fantastic that the opportunity to referee in the Hyundai A-League came about,” said Faghani.

“It was a very big decision to leave our home country, but I am extremely thankful that I am still able to referee professionally in one of the top domestic leagues in Asia and also continue my career as an international match official.

“I have refereed many times in Australia and with Australian clubs so I am very familiar with the players and venues.

“My family and I are very much looking forward to moving to Australia and starting the next chapter of our lives,” concluded Faghani.