Jordan and Argentina will close out their Group J campaigns at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs has been confirmed as the man in the middle for this final group stage fixture at Dallas Stadium in Arlington.

Argentina arrive in dominant form, having already secured their place in the Round of 32 after back-to-back wins inspired by Lionel Messi. For Jordan, it is a bittersweet farewell — the nation's maiden World Cup adventure ends at the group stage, their exit already confirmed heading into the match.

Kovacs: a referee with elite credentials

At 41 years old, Kovacs brings considerable authority to this assignment, having officiated more than 600 matches across his career. His portfolio of elite fixtures is extensive — he took charge of the UEFA Champions League semi-final between Manchester City and Real Madrid in April 2022, and later oversaw the Paris Saint-Germain versus Inter Milan showpiece final in 2025.

He also refereed the inaugural UEFA Conference League final in 2022 and the 2024 UEFA Europa League final, cementing his status as one of Europe's most trusted officials on the biggest occasions.

At international level, Kovacs served as fourth official during the 2022 World Cup and took charge of two group stage matches at Euro 2024. He also holds the distinction of officiating the landmark 1,000th game in World Cup history at this summer's tournament — the fixture between Tunisia and Japan.

A strict disciplinarian

Kovacs carries a reputation as one of football's more uncompromising referees. Across 604 matches, he has issued 3,154 bookings — an average of just over five per game. His red card count stands at 206, and he holds a European Championship record for the most cards shown in a single match.

Jordan and Argentina's players can expect little leniency from the Romanian.

Full officiating team

Kovacs will be assisted by fellow Romanian officials Mihai Marica and Ferencz Tunvogi. Dahane Beida of Mauritania has been designated as Video Assistant Referee, while Jerson Santos from Angola completes the team as Reserve Assistant Referee.