FIFA has confirmed that American referee Ismail Elfath will officiate England's World Cup 2026 semi-final against Argentina, while Iranian referee Alireza Faghani is the frontrunner to take charge of the final should England advance. The announcement comes amid controversy after England manager Thomas Tuchel criticized officials following the quarter-final victory over Mexico.
Elfath Takes Charge of England-Argentina Clash
Ismail Elfath, 44, will oversee England's semi-final against Argentina, his fourth fixture of the tournament. Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins will serve as assistant referees, with Italian duo Maurizio Mariani and Daniele Bindoni completing the officiating team. Elfath has previously refereed three matches in North America: Japan versus the Netherlands, Uruguay's defeat to Spain, and Brazil against Norway.
During the round-of-16 tie between Brazil and Norway, Elfath awarded two penalty kicks to Brazil. Bruno Guimaraes missed the initial attempt, but Neymar successfully converted the subsequent one near the end of the game. However, any perception of bias toward South American teams was dispelled when he showed a red card to Uruguay's Agustin Canobbio deep into injury time. Elfath has never previously refereed an England game, though he oversaw a goalless draw between Argentina and Colombia in 2018.
Faghani Poised for Final Amid Tuchel's Fury
In the other semi-final between France and Spain, Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton will take charge. With Barton officiating that match and Elfath handling England-Argentina, Iranian referee Alireza Faghani is the likely candidate for the final, as FIFA aims to maintain neutrality by ensuring officials come from a different confederation than the competing teams. If England face France or Spain in the final, both UEFA nations, a referee from a non-UEFA confederation would be required.
Faghani earned widespread praise for his performance during England's 3-2 victory over Mexico, where he awarded two penalties and correctly dismissed England's Jarrell Quansah. However, England manager Thomas Tuchel was livid with the officiating, particularly VAR decisions. "Just not good enough. The referees just aren't good enough, fourth officials just not good enough. It's the bottom line," Tuchel said. "Did I see that right? Three people on the VAR from South America, a match like this? I could be wrong, if this is correct."
Full List of Referees Remaining in Tournament
The complete list of referees still involved in the World Cup includes: Alireza Faghani, Adham Makhadmeh, and Jalal Jayed (AFC); Ivan Barton and Ismail Elfath (CONCACAF); Jesus Valenzuela and Wilton Sampaio (CONMEBOL); and Espen Eskas, Szymon Marciniak, Maurizio Mariani, Glenn Nyberg, Joao Pinheiro, and Slavko Vincic (UEFA).
England are aiming to reach their first World Cup final since 1966. If they overcome Argentina in Wednesday's semi-final, they would face either France or Spain at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on Sunday, July 19.
