Faghani's major rival has been eliminated!

Szymon Marciniak has been tipped to referee the World Cup third-place play-off, with only two matches left in the tournament after FIFA named its final 13 officials.

The Polish referee is among the remaining match officials in the United States and is still in line for one of the last two games: the final between Spain and Argentina, or the third-place match between France and England. Marciniak has already taken charge of two matches at the tournament, Argentina v Algeria and Egypt v Iran in the group stage.

Michal Listkiewicz, a former FIFA referee and ex-president of the Polish Football Association, said he would back Marciniak for the play-off, while adding that his compatriot is good enough to handle the final too.

Speaking to PAP, Listkiewicz said Marciniak was the likeliest choice for the bronze-medal match because he has already refereed Argentina. He added that other factors always play a part in the appointment process, but the final call rests with Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s referees chief.

Marciniak has previous World Cup final experience. The 45-year-old took charge of Argentina’s win over France in the 2022 final in Qatar, one of the most memorable title matches in the tournament’s history.