Fifa has named American referee Ismail Elfath to oversee the upcoming World Cup semi-final match between England and Argentina. The 44-year-old official brings significant experience to the fixture, having managed several matches throughout the tournament including group stage encounters and the round-of-16 victory by Norway over Brazil.
During this tournament, Elfath has handed out six yellow cards and a direct red card to Uruguay’s Agustin Canobbio following a dangerous tackle on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi. Following that incident, Canobbio physically confronted the official. The upcoming semi-final takes place this Wednesday in Atlanta.
Assisting Elfath on the sidelines will be fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, while Italy’s Maurizio Mariani will serve as the fourth official. Elfath, who moved to the United States from Morocco at age 18, has been an MLS official since 2012 and is a two-time MLS referee of the year recipient. He notably officiated the 2023 Leagues Cup final where Lionel Messi secured his first trophy with Inter Miami.
Due to longstanding political tensions and Fifa regulations regarding potential conflicts of interest, British referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor, as well as Argentine official Facundo Tello, were ineligible to handle this high-profile match. These same restrictions also prevented English officials from refereeing the 2022 World Cup final between France and Argentina.
