Explained: Reason behind referee's special jersey in Tunisia vs Japan FIFA World Cup 2026 clash
(Courtesy : Getty)
Japan played a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening game of the FIFA World Cup.
Tunisia faced Japan in their second game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While the game drew fans’ attention with its exciting action, there was another reason.
Many fans would have noticed that the referee was wearing a different jersey. But why does the match referee, István Kovács, wear a special jersey during the Tunisia vs Japan match at the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Why was István Kovács wearing a special jersey during the Tunisia vs Japan match?
The referee for the Tunisia vs Japan game, István Kovács, wore a special jersey during the 2026 FIFA World Cup match because it was the 1,000th match in the tournament’s history. Hence, the referee donned the one-of-a-kind Adidas kit, which was designed specifically by FIFA to celebrate the milestone.
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A few of the jersey’s unique elements included golden stripes on the sleeves and a special “MATCH 1000” badge featuring the World Cup trophy and the number 1,000.
Romanian referee István Kovács was specially appointed by the primary board of football’s official officiating team, FIFA’s Referees Committee, to lead this historic milestone at Estadio BBVA.
A statement was released on FIFA’s official website in which Pierluigi Collina, Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, discussed the importance of the milestone and István Kovács’ selection.
“We selected the referee that we think is the best referee for this match. And of course, by coincidence, he is also appointed for the 1,000th match. So, for him, it is something extra, something special on top. Refereeing a FIFA World Cup match is always a huge privilege; it’s a great honour.”
“We decided to create a special match kit to celebrate this match and it’s a nice one with some golden details; stripes and a patch with the trophy and the number 1,000 on it.” He concluded.
During the first edition of the tournament, two opening games were played simultaneously. One saw France beat Mexico 4-1, and the other saw the USA beat Belgium 3-0.
Why did István Kovács wear a special jersey during the Tunisia vs Japan match?
It was the 1,000th match in the tournament’s history.
Who won the first match in FIFA World Cup history?
During the first edition of the tournament, two opening games were played simultaneously. One saw France beat Mexico 4-1, and the other saw the USA beat Belgium 3-0.
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