RIO DE JANEIRO, June 10 -- Japan's Yuichi Nishimura will referee the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup between Brazil and Croatia on Thursday.

FIFA announced on Tuesday that Nishimura 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 quarterfinal encounter between the Netherlands and Brazil.

In 2012, Yuichi Nishimura was named AFC Men's Referee of the Year.