A-League Referees Awarded Prestigious Role at Club World Cup

Three officials from the A-Leagues are set to take the spotlight as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup kicks off this Sunday in the United States.

Alireza Faghani, the esteemed referee from the Isuzu UTE A-League, has been appointed to oversee the historic opening match between the Egyptian club Al Ahly and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium this Sunday at 10am (AEST).

Faghani will be assisted by fellow referees Anton Shchetinin and Ashley Beecham, both of whom have significant experience officiating in the A-Leagues and at the international level.

Additionally, another Isuzu UTE A-League referee, Shaun Evans, will be officiating matches during the tournament, giving Australia a representation of four officials in the USA.

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This new format features 32 teams from across the world, divided into eight groups of four, all vying for the title of club world champions.

Among the competitors are European heavyweights including Real Madrid from LaLiga, Bundesliga titans Bayern Munich, Premier League giants Manchester City, and UEFA Champions League runners-up Inter Miami, while teams from Japan, Brazil, Argentina, the USA, and Saudi Arabia will also be participating.

New Zealand football enthusiasts will also be closely following Auckland City, featuring former Wellington Phoenix player Nikko Boxall, as they commence their FIFA Club World Cup journey in the early hours of Monday.

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Starting with a challenging match against Bayern Munich, Auckland City will then meet Portuguese side Benfica and finish their group stage with a clash against the iconic Argentinian club Boca Juniors.

Overall, the tournament will see 63 matches held across 12 venues, with cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. chosen as hosts.