Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs, aged 41, officiated the World Cup match between Argentina and Jordan on Sunday morning, which ended in a 3-1 victory for the Argentines. This match marked Kovacs’s second officiating assignment in the tournament, following his previous assignment between Japan and Tunisia, which was also significant as it was the 1000th match in World Cup history.
For his role in the match, Kovacs will receive a standard FIFA compensation of $3,000, which is the fixed amount for referees overseeing group stage matches.
Increased Earnings for Upcoming Matches
In total, Kovacs has earned $6,000 over the past week for officiating two matches, adding to the $100,000 he received merely for being selected as one of the referees for this summer’s tournament. Should he be assigned to officiate in the knockout stages, which begin tonight with the match between South Africa and Canada, his earnings could rise to $10,000 per match.
Key Decisions in Argentina vs. Jordan Match
During the match, Kovacs annulled two Argentine goals and awarded a penalty to Argentina. The first goal, scored by Lo Celso in the 7th minute, was disallowed for offside. In the 31st minute, with the help of VAR, Kovacs reversed an earlier decision and awarded a penalty to Argentina, which Lautaro Martinez converted to make the score 2-0. Kovacs explained, “Number 21 from Jordan did not play the ball. He struck the attacker in the head. The decision is a penalty.” Another goal by Martinez in the 48th minute was also ruled offside.
