Fifa appoints American referee Ismail Elfath for England-Argentina semi-final
The 44-year-old takes charge of the Atlanta clash, while English and Argentine officials are barred from the final due to conflict-of-interest regulations.
Fifa has confirmed that American referee Ismail Elfath will officiate the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina. The match is scheduled for Wednesday at 20:00 BST in Atlanta and will be broadcast live on BBC One. Elfath, 44, previously officiated group stage matches, including the fixture between Japan and the Netherlands, as well as the last-16 encounter where Norway defeated Brazil.
His officiating team comprises fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins as assistant referees, with Italian Maurizio Mariani serving as the fourth official. Elfath’s tenure in the tournament has included a notable incident during the Uruguay versus Spain group match, where he issued six yellow cards and showed a straight red card to Uruguay midfielder Agustin Canobbio for a high challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi. Canobbio subsequently confronted Elfath and grabbed his shirt after being dismissed.
Elfath brings significant experience to the role, having officiated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he served as the fourth official for the final between France and Argentina. During that tournament, he sent off Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar for removing his shirt after scoring against Brazil, an incident that occurred despite Elfath shaking the player’s hand beforehand. He has officiated in Major League Soccer since 2012 and has won MLS Referee of the Year twice.
The appointment follows strict adherence to Fifa’s conflict-of-interest regulations. England’s Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor, along with Argentine referee Facundo Tello, are ineligible to referee the World Cup final and the third-place play-off. These regulations prohibit officials from taking charge of matches involving their own country, and extend to English and Argentine officials due to the political rivalry between the two nations, stemming in part from the 1982 Falklands conflict.
Elfath, originally from Morocco, moved to the United States at age 18 via a US government-backed diversity visa lottery. His career highlights include refereeing the 2023 Leagues Cup final, where Lionel Messi secured his first trophy with Inter Miami. The 2026 World Cup final is set for 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, featuring a half-time show curated by Chris Martin.
