Algeria-Argentina in Kansas City: Marciniak, the referee who knows all the secrets of the Fennecs

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has appointed Polish referee Szymon Marciniak to officiate the highly anticipated match between Algeria and Argentina on July 17 in Kansas City. Marciniak, widely considered one of the world's top referees, will be assisted by fellow Poles Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik.

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The FIFA has designated a Polish refereeing trio led by Szymon Marciniak to officiate the Algeria-Argentina match, scheduled for July 17 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, for the first matchday of Group J of the 2026 World Cup.

Marciniak's resume includes officiating some of the sport's biggest games, notably the 2022 World Cup final between France and Argentina, and the 2023 Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan. This makes him one of only seven referees in history to have handled both a World Cup and a Champions League final.

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Marciniak remains one of the most reputable referees in the world. In his rich record, he notably directed the final of the 2022 World Cup between France and Argentina, then the final of the Champions League opposing Manchester City to Inter Milan in 2023.

For Algerian supporters, Marciniak's name evokes a complex mix of emotions. He previously refereed the 2021 Arab Cup semi-final between Algeria and Qatar. In that match, Marciniak added an unprecedented nine minutes of stoppage time, leading to a controversial equalizer for Qatar. The game eventually went into extra time, which also saw an unusually long duration, before Algeria secured a late penalty to win.

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For the supporters of the Greens, the announcement of Marciniak's name cannot leave them indifferent. The Polish referee had indeed refereed the semi-final of the 2021 Arab Cup between Qatar, the host country of the competition, and Algeria, the future champion, a match that gave rise to a very rare episode.

While this match remains a contentious memory for Algerians, highlighting a sense of injustice overcome, Marciniak's overall reputation at the highest level remains strong. His handling of the dramatic 2022 World Cup final, despite some debate over certain decisions like Argentina's third goal, solidified his standing as a capable official for major international fixtures.

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While this qualification in the final was achieved despite everything, it had a taste of both a hard-won victory and overcome injustice.