Italy, reigning European champions but who failed to qualify for the World Cup, will have a representative on Sunday for the opening match of the competition: Daniele Orsato has been appointed referee for the match between Qatar and Ecuador, Fifa announced on Friday evening.
Aged 46, the Italian referee notably officiated during the Champions League final in 2020 won by Bayern Munich against Paris SG in Lisbon.
He was also present four years ago in Russia, during the previous World Cup, from which Italy was already absent, then in charge of video assistance (VAR).
Orsato has been licensed by FIFA since 2010. Qatar and Ecuador face off at 7:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. GMT) at Al Bayt Stadium in Doha on Sunday.
The host nation, playing in its first World Cup, and Ecuador, in its fourth appearance, are in Group A with Senegal and the Netherlands.
Italy is one of the big absentees from this World Cup-2022.
Eliminated in the play-off phase by North Macedonia, the Squadra Azzurra and its four trophies in the history of the competition (1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006), has not participated in a World Cup since 2014.