TEHRAN – Vahid Kazemi will be the center referee for the Tehran derby between Persepolis and Esteghlal.

He will be assisted by Ali Ahmadi and Bahman Abdollahi, with Hossein Zamani serving as the fourth official at the IRALCO Stadium in Arak on Friday.

Esteghlal lead the 2025/26 Persian Gulf Pro League (PGPL) standings, while Persepolis sit second.

There have been 105 meetings between the rivals, with Persepolis claiming 29 wins, Esteghlal 26, and 50 drawn matches.