Ismail Elfath to Referee England vs Argentina Semi-Final

Ismail Elfath, a 44-year-old American referee, has been appointed to officiate the World Cup 2026 semi-final match between England and Argentina. He previously officiated a group game between Japan and the Netherlands and has a history of officiating major matches, including the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.

Elfath has been recognized for his officiating skills, winning the Major League Soccer Referee of the Year award twice. His notable moments include sending off Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar during a match against Brazil.

Fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkin will assist him, with Italian Maurizio Mariani serving as the fourth official. FIFA regulations prevent referees from officiating matches involving their own countries, which is why English referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor, as well as Argentine referee Facundo Tello, are ineligible for this match.

The match is scheduled to take place in Atlanta on Wednesday at 20:00 BST.