The 41-year-old Pole was appointed by FIFA to oversee fairness in the deciding match. He has already officiated both finalists in the competition.
Argentina and France are set to collide in the Grand Final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, a match scheduled for this Sunday at Lusail Stadium. This clash draws extra attention because both nations have a history of lifting the global prize. Argentina lifted the trophy in 1978 and 1986, while France captured its first title as hosts in 1998 and returned as reigning champions after their 2018 triumph in Russia.
For this pivotal game, FIFA named Szymon Marciniak of Poland to ensure balance and equity on the field as he enters his third World Cup final assignment. His prior appearances as a final whistle belonged to two teams who reached the final: his first match saw France beat Denmark 2-1 in Group D, and his second appearance featured Argentina’s 2-1 victory over Australia in the Round of 16.
The match list also included Paweł Sokolnicki and Tomasz Listkiewicz. The latter is the son of Michał Listkiewicz, who served as an assistant referee in the 1990 final between Argentina, led by Carlos Bilardo, and Germany in Italy, a game won by Germany 1-0 on a penalty by Andreas Brehme. The VAR duties will be handled by Tomasz Kwiatkowski, with Venezuelan Juan Soto assisting. The Offside VAR will be covered by American referee Kyle Atkins, serving as a reserve for Mateu Lahoz during the Netherlands quarterfinals clash.
Who is Szymon Marciniak?
The 41-year-old native of Płock began his refereeing career in 2002 after an early stint as a player with Wisła Płock. He earned FIFA status in 2011 and made his Champions League debut in 2014. That same year, he officiated a Europa League quarter-final and was selected for the final of the European Under-21 Championship. His reputation includes officiating some high-profile European matches in recent seasons.
Marciniak has been involved in several memorable Barcelona moments in the Champions League, including their 4-0 loss at Paris in 2017, a match that preceded an infamous 6-1 comeback at the Camp Nou, and the Juventus 3-0 win over Barcelona in the same tournament. He also oversaw England’s victory over Spain in the UEFA Nations League, a game marked by a notable incident between Sergio Busquets and a ball thrown in protest after Gabriel Ramos’s late equalizer. In recent campaigns, he has presided over five Champions League fixtures and has earned a reputation for a high foul rate per game, along with substantial experience across the Euros, the FIFA Club World Cup, and multiple UEFA competitions.
Marciniak’s overall tally stands at hundreds of international assignments, including a large number of yellow cards, red cards, and penalties awarded, reflecting his active presence in major tournaments over the years.
Marciniak’s history with Argentina
Crossing paths with Argentina is nothing new for Marciniak. The two teams have met under his whistle twice at World Cup events. In 2018, during Argentina’s opening match against Iceland, he awarded a penalty to Argentina that Lionel Messi failed to convert. The same year, he presided over the group-stage match against Australia, which Argentina won 2-1 thanks to stars Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez. Enzo Fernández’s late own goal kept the scoreline closer, but Argentina still claimed victory.
Marciniak’s history with France
Marciniak has also officiated multiple matches involving France. He oversaw France’s group-stage win over Denmark in a 2-1 affair and holds two additional records with the French squad. In 2014, a friendly against Portugal finished 2-1 for France despite a late penalty for Portugal. More recently, in September 2020, he was on the whistle for France’s 1-0 Nations League win over Sweden, a game notable for a late penalty decision that Antoine Griezmann missed.
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