Riyadh Derby Referee Unveiled: Meet the 36-Year-Old who’ll Blow the Whistle for Al Hilal vs Al Nassr
6 January 2026
Riyadh Derby Referee Revealed
The spotlight shifts to the officiating crew for the highly anticipated Riyadh derby between Al Hilal and Al Nassr in the Roshen Saudi League.
Al Hilal will host its neighbour and archrival Al Nassr on Monday at Kingdom Arena, as part of the 15th round of Roshen competition.
Francois Letexier Takes the Whistle
The Saudi Football Federation's referees committee reportedly decided to appoint French official Francois Letexier to oversee the match, according to Al-Yawm newspaper.
This foreign appointment comes at the request of Al Hilal, aligning with the federation's regulations on the matter.
This will be Letexier's first match in the Saudi Pro League, and he has not previously officiated in Roshen in recent years.
Letexier is a relatively young 36-year-old referee who began refereeing in Ligue 1 in January 2016 and joined international duties in 2017.
Despite his youth, he has already overseen major matches globally, including the Spain vs England Euro 2024 final, which Spain won 2-1.
He also refereed the 2023 UEFA Super Cup, decided by Manchester City over Sevilla on penalties, and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup semifinal, in which Chelsea beat Flamengo 2-0.
In the context of this derby, the appointment marks a new chapter for the Saudi league as they continue to feature international referees.
Punchline 1: If the whistle starts smoking, that’s Letexier warming up the stadium lights.
Punchline 2: The only thing offside here might be the coffee queue in the press lounge.
