Argentina’s Pitana to referee opening World Cup match

Soccer Football - World Cup - Referees Training - Moscow, Russia - June 12, 2018. Referee Nestor Pitana of Argentina attends a training session. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Argentine referee Nestor Pitana will take charge of Thursday's opening World Cup match between hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia in Moscow, FIFA said on Tuesday.

Assisting him at the Luzhniki Stadium will be compatriots Juan Pablo Bellati and Hernan Maidana, with Sandro Ricci from Brazil designated as the fourth official.

The Video Assistant Referee team, being used at a World Cup for the first time, is composed of Massimiliano Irrati of Italy (VAR), Mauro Vigliano of Argentina, Carlos Astroza of Chile and Italian Daniele Orsato.

Soccer Football - World Cup - Referees News Conference - Moscow, Russia - June 12, 2018. (L-R) FIFA Refereeing Director Massimo Busacca, FIFA Chairman of Referees Committee Pierluigi Collina and referee Sandro Ricci attend a news conference. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva

Pitana, who has been an international referee for eight years, will be on duty in his second World Cup after officiating in four games in 2014.

Soccer Football - World Cup - Referees News Conference - Moscow, Russia - June 12, 2018. FIFA Chairman of Referees Committee Pierluigi Collina speaks during a news conference. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva

(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Ed Osmond)

Soccer Football - World Cup - Referees News Conference - Moscow, Russia - June 12, 2018. Referee Ravshan Irmatov attends a news conference. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva

Soccer Football - World Cup - Referees News Conference - Moscow, Russia - June 12, 2018. Referees Sandro Ricci (L) and Ravshan Irmatov attend a news conference. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva