Born |
Bardaskan, Iran |
March 21, 1978 ||
---|---|---|---|
Other occupation | Teacher | ||
Domestic | |||
Years | League | Role | |
2000–2008 | Azadegan League | Referee | |
2007– | Persian Gulf Pro League | Referee | |
International | |||
Years | League | Role | |
2008– | FIFA listed | Referee |
Alireza Faghani (Persian: عليرضا فغانى, born 21 March 1978 in Bardaskan) is an Iranian football referee who has been officiating in Persian Gulf Pro League for seven seasons and has been on the international list since 2008.
He was born on 21 March 1978 in Kashmar, a city near Mashhad, Iran. His nickname is Behrooz (بهروز). His father, Mohammad Faghani (محمد فغانی) was also a football referee.
Faghani became a FIFA referee in 2008, only a year after officiating in the top flight league in Iran. After becoming a FIFA referee Faghani has moved up the ladder really fast especially in Asia. After only one year of international experience Faghani took charge of the 2009 AFC President's Cup Final which was played between Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda and Dordoi-Dynamo Naryn which was won 2–0 by the hosts. A year later he was again in charge of a final but this time it was a much more important final in the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup where the winner qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. He gave a red card to the North Korean defender in the 32nd minute but North Korea went on to defeat Turkmenistan in penalties.
He was named as the fourth referee for the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup between Brazil and Croatia. He also refereed the 2014 AFC Champions League Final first leg match between Al-Hilal and Western Sydney Wanderers. He is also one of the officials of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, refereeing his first match in Group B between Saudi Arabia and China that ended 0–1. Faghani awarded Saudi Arabia a penalty kick but Naif Hazazi missed it. He was appointed to referee the 2015 AFC Asian Cup Final, which was contested by South Korea and Australia. Faghani was the referee in the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup Final between Club Atlético River Plate and FC Barcelona. Perhaps the most important match in which he was the main referee was the 2016 Olympic football final match between host Brazil and Germany.