Japanese referee for opening match

Japan’s Yuichi Nishimura has been assigned as the referee for the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup between Brazil and Croatia tomorrow. 

He will be assisted by compatriots Toru Sagara and Toshiyuki Nagi, with Alireza Faghani of Iran designated as the fourth official. 

Referee designations have been made for the first four matches of the World Cup.

Nishimura, 42, is set to become the third Japanese referee to have officiated at two World Cup finals after Shizuo Takada (1986 and 1990) and Toru Kamikawa (2002 and 2006). 

At South Africa 2010, he handled four matches, including the quarter-final encounter between the Netherlands and Brazil.