Elfath Takes Charge of England-Argentina Clash
Ismail Elfath, a Moroccan-born American referee, will officiate the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina on Wednesday. The match marks the first meeting between the two nations in over 20 years, with a place in the final at stake.
England secured their semi-final spot by defeating Norway 2-1 after extra time, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice. Argentina, the reigning champions, overcame 10-man Switzerland 3-1 in extra time, thanks to goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.
Argentina Seek Second Consecutive Final
Argentina aim to reach their second successive World Cup final, while England look to progress past the semi-finals for the first time since winning the tournament in 1966. The two sides have a storied rivalry, with their last World Cup encounter in 2002 ending in a 1-0 England victory via a David Beckham penalty.
Elfath's Background and Experience
Elfath, 44, moved to the United States after winning a US government diversity lottery ticket at age 18. He began refereeing after becoming frustrated with officiating standards in local football. He has primarily officiated in Major League Soccer (MLS), earning MLS Referee of the Year honors twice, in 2020 and 2022.
Elfath was a fourth official during the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France. At this year's tournament, he has refereed group-stage matches between the Netherlands and Japan, Uruguay and Spain, and the last-16 upset of Brazil by Norway.
Previous Encounters with Messi
According to the Daily Mail, Elfath has officiated Lionel Messi's Inter Miami three times in MLS. He will be assisted by fellow Americans Kyle Atkins and Corey Parker, with Italy's Maurizio Mariani serving as fourth official and Daniele Bindoni as reserve assistant.
