FIFA have confirmed that English referees Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver are prohibited from officiating any Argentina game at this year's World Cup, owing to the Falklands War 44 years ago.
Referee Appointment Criteria
There are, naturally, numerous factors considered when appointing match officials, with the most crucial being the collective performance of the referee working alongside their two assistant referees. This fundamental aspect forms part of an ongoing assessment process supervised by the FIFA Referees Committee, headed by former World Cup final official Pierluigi Collina.
Clearly, a referee cannot take charge of their own nation's matches, nor can they be allocated to a fixture which carries direct implications for their home country in the competition. For instance, neither Oliver nor Taylor would have been allowed to officiate any group-stage encounter in England's Group L, even if the match had not featured the Three Lions, such as Ghana vs Panama.
Geopolitical Considerations
Additionally, an English referee would be prevented from taking charge of Argentina vs Switzerland this weekend, as their decisions could directly affect England's potential semi-final opponents should Thomas Tuchel's side advance. That said, this regulation does not apply beyond the subsequent round of matches, which explains why an entirely Argentine officiating team was permitted to oversee France's 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco, despite Argentina being a possible opponent in the final.
There are, however, additional geopolitical considerations that come into play when officials are assigned to fixtures. FIFA are naturally keenly aware of politically delicate situations and chooses to apply pragmatism when selecting a referee. A source characterised the process as "quite fluid", with no rigid rule imposed on the proceedings.
Falklands War Influence
Nevertheless, a FIFA spokesperson confirmed that the 1982 Falklands War is a consideration when appointing a referee. Therefore, an English official would not be allowed to oversee an Argentina match, nor a fixture with a direct next-game consequence for Argentina, and vice versa.
The Mirror reported in 2022 that Taylor and Oliver were prevented from refereeing the 2022 World Cup final due to Argentina's participation, with a strong likelihood that this situation could be replicated given England and Argentina are positioned on the same half of the draw in this summer's edition of the tournament.
Political Sensitivity
The Falklands War is still regarded as a politically sensitive subject, though conflicts as distant as the Second World War, however, are not a consideration. The war was also referenced by Argentina players, who sang a song called 'Muchachos' in the dressing room after their quarter-final victory over Egypt.
Despite FIFA's stringent rules on political expression within stadiums, Argentina are not expected to face any action for singing the song. As the 2026 World Cup progresses into its final phases, examination of referee selections is set to heighten. However, FIFA has made abundantly clear that Taylor and Oliver will be excluded from officiating any Argentina match.
