Referee Ismail Elfath to Officiate Argentina-England World Cup Semifinal

FIFA has appointed American referee Ismail Elfath to officiate the World Cup semifinal between Argentina and England on Wednesday in Atlanta at 22:00 local time. Elfath, born in Morocco and currently officiating in Major League Soccer, has a notable record with Argentine star Lionel Messi, having refereed him four times since Messi joined Inter Miami. In all four matches, Messi's teams emerged victorious, including the 2023 Leagues Cup final where Messi scored and converted a penalty in the shootout. Elfath also served as the fourth official in the 2022 World Cup final, where Argentina defeated France to win the title.

This semifinal will be Elfath's biggest match as a referee. He has already officiated three games in this tournament: Netherlands vs. Japan, Spain vs. Uruguay, and Norway vs. Brazil, issuing eight yellow cards and one red card across those matches. Known for his strict officiating style in MLS, Elfath has handed out 41 yellow cards, three red cards, and awarded three penalties in ten games this season.

Elfath's appointment comes amid criticism of refereeing decisions favoring Argentina during the tournament. After Switzerland's quarterfinal elimination, Swiss officials claimed biased calls benefiting the defending champions, and similar accusations emerged from Egypt. In response, FIFA's Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina issued an unusual statement rejecting these allegations and affirming the integrity of the referees.