Ismail Elfath appointed referee for Argentina vs England semi-final

The referee line-up for the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final between Argentina and England has been announced, with Ismail Elfath from the USA leading the group of officials for the significant match in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Elfath is a familiar name for World Cup enthusiasts, having officiated several other prominent games in this tournament already.

FIFA confirmed that Elfath will be supported by fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins for the match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

This will mark the fourth game of the current World Cup for Elfath, who was born in Morocco and has previously overseen group-stage matches between the Netherlands and Japan, as well as Uruguay and Spain.

Both of these matches were pivotal in determining the outcomes of their respective groups in the World Cup.

Elfath also officiated Norway's 2-1 victory over Brazil in the round of 16.

The match officials for @FIFAWorldCup match 102 have been appointed. FIFA (@FIFAcom) July 13, 2026

Who Is Ismail Elfath?

The 44-year-old referee is not a new face for Argentina captain Lionel Messi or local football fans in the United States.

He has been officiating in MLS matches since 2012.

In fact, during the Qatar 2022 World Cup, he was part of the refereeing team when Argentina faced France in the final.

Elfath served as the fourth official in that match, which saw Lionel Messi and his team crowned world champions.

The World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2005.

It will also be their first World Cup encounter since the 2002 tournament, where the Three Lions emerged victorious.

Argentina's journey to the semi-finals in this World Cup has been marked by numerous controversial decisions.

A range of high-profile refereeing and VAR calls have been closely examined and scrutinised throughout the tournament.

Whether it was Messi avoiding a red card for a foul on Algeria's Aissa Mandi during the defending champions' opening match or Egypt's second-half goal being disallowed due to a foul in the build-up, many decisions have favoured Argentina in this tournament.

As a result, the referee will undoubtedly be under significant scrutiny.

Source: NDTV Sports