Horațiu Feșnic appointed to referee FCSB vs Rapid derby amid past controversy

The Central Commission of Arbiters (CCA) has confirmed the appointment of Horațiu Feșnic as the referee for the upcoming derby between FCSB and Rapid. CCA president Kyros Vassaras made the selection for the round 13 championship match. The game is scheduled for October 24, 2026, at 21:00 at Arena Națională.

This assignment marks the third time Feșnic will officiate a match between these two clubs. His first involvement occurred during the 2022-2023 play-off season. In that encounter, Rapid secured a 1-0 victory over FCSB. The result sparked significant backlash from FCSB owner Gigi Becali.

Following the 2022-2023 match, Becali criticized Feșnic heavily. He claimed the referee failed to send off Rapid players Dragoș Grigore and Răzvan Onea. Becali stated at the time that he wanted to withdraw from football due to the officiating decisions. This incident remains a point of contention regarding Feșnic's appointments for FCSB matches.

Feșnic previously returned to officiate this fixture in spring 2025. That match ended in a 3-3 draw. More recently, in February 2026, Becali again criticized Feșnic after a Romanian Cup match against Universitatea Craiova finished 2-2. These events have kept the relationship between the FCSB leadership and the referee under scrutiny.

Statistical records show differing histories for both clubs under Feșnic's supervision. FCSB has recorded 20 wins, 11 draws, and 11 losses in matches refereed by him. Rapid has recorded 11 wins, 11 draws, and 5 losses in games officiated by Feșnic. These figures cover their respective histories with the referee across various competitions.

Ahead of the derby, FCSB sits in sixth place in the league table with 18 points. They trail second-place Rapid by nine points. Mihai Stoica indicated that at least 30,000 spectators are expected to attend the match at Arena Națională. The high attendance underscores the significance of the fixture for both sets of supporters.