Ismail Elfath, a Moroccan-born American referee, has been appointed to officiate the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina on Wednesday night in Atlanta. The match revives one of international football's fiercest rivalries, with the teams not meeting in a competitive fixture since the 2002 World Cup.
Background and career
Elfath, 44, was born in Casablanca and moved to the United States after winning a government 'diversity lottery ticket' at age 18. He studied mechanical engineering in Texas while playing for USL League Two side Austin Lightning. His move into refereeing stemmed from dissatisfaction with officiating standards, and he became a professional referee in 2011.
Elfath has established himself as one of North America's top officials, winning the MLS Referee of the Year award in 2020 and 2022. He officiated three games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, including the dramatic Cameroon vs Brazil group stage match where he sent off Vincent Aboubakar for removing his shirt after scoring a winner. He was also the fourth official for the World Cup final, which Argentina won on penalties against France.
World Cup 2026 performance
At this summer's World Cup, Elfath has taken charge of three matches: Netherlands vs Japan, Uruguay vs Spain, and Norway's round of 16 win over Brazil. In Uruguay's 1-0 loss to Spain, he awarded a red card to Agustin Canobbio for a foul on Pau Cubarsi in stoppage time. During Norway's 2-1 victory over Brazil, he missed an obvious penalty for Brazil, though VAR later corrected the error. Overall, he has issued eight yellow cards (average 2.7 per match) and one red card across his three games.
Potential good omen for Messi
Elfath could be a positive sign for Lionel Messi, as the Argentine star has won all five Inter Miami matches that Elfath has refereed. Argentina also have a historical link: Elfath was the fourth official when they won the 2022 World Cup final. The England vs Argentina clash will be Elfath's fourth game of the 2026 tournament.
