The Australian referee Ali Reza Faghani is preparing to have his first experience officiating a local match in Saudi Arabia, should he be appointed to lead the classic match between Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal next Friday, as part of the third round of the Roshen Saudi League at the "Al-Inma" stadium in Jeddah.

According to informed sources, the Referees Committee of the Saudi Football Association has not yet announced the name of the appointed referee, but Faghani is at the top of the list of candidates for this major confrontation, given his extensive experience in continental and international arenas.

The referee is 47 years old and of Iranian descent; he previously represented his home country in major tournaments before migrating to Australia in 2019 and later obtaining its citizenship, officially starting to represent it in international competitions from 2023.

Throughout his refereeing career, Faghani has officiated four matches for Saudi teams in external tournaments, most notably the 2014 AFC Champions League final when Al-Hilal lost to Western Sydney Wanderers, as well as the match between Al-Nasr and Kawasaki Frontale, which ended in defeat for "the global" in the semifinals of the last edition.

He has also officiated significant matches in the AFC Asian Cup, including the encounter between Saudi Arabia and China in the 2015 edition, where he awarded a penalty to the Green Falcons that was missed by Naif Hazazi, in addition to the final that saw Australia crowned against South Korea.

Faghani has an impressive record of global participation, having officiated four matches in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, including the famous encounter between France and Argentina, as well as two matches in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, alongside the final of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

His record doesn't stop there, as he also officiated the FIFA Club World Cup final twice, first in 2015 between Barcelona and River Plate, and the second in the expanded 2025 edition in the United States, which brought together Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

The Australian referee possesses extensive experience in the AFC Champions League with 60 matches officiated, along with eight others under the title of "elite," making him one of the most prominent referees on the continental and international stage.