Ismail Elfath has been appointed as the referee for England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday, marking the highest-profile match of his career. The Moroccan-born American official will be assisted by compatriots Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins.
England's Historic Bid and Argentina's Title Defense
England are seeking their first World Cup final appearance since 1966, while Argentina aim for back-to-back titles after winning in Qatar four years ago. Elfath's appointment may boost Argentina, as he is considered Lionel Messi's favorite referee.
Elfath served as the fourth official during Argentina's 2022 World Cup final victory over France. Since Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023, Elfath has officiated four matches involving the Argentine star, with Messi winning all of them, including the 2023 League Cup final against Nashville SC.
Favoritism Allegations Intensify
This record has fueled accusations that officials favor Argentina in this World Cup, particularly after their 3-2 win over Egypt. Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji claimed everything was "against us" following their 3-1 quarter-final loss after extra time. Switzerland's players and manager were incensed after Breel Embolo became the first player sent off under a new "mistaken identity" rule, receiving a second yellow card for diving after a VAR review.
Elfath's Disciplinary Record
Elfath has issued eight yellow cards and one red card in three World Cup matches this tournament. He faced criticism from Spanish media after their clash with Uruguay, accused of leniency despite sending off Uruguay's Agustin Canobbio for a high challenge on Pau Cubarsi. The main gripe was his handling of Nicolas De La Cruz's challenge on Nico Williams, which left the Bilbao star injured. Williams described it as "one of the worst days of my life" but recovered to play in the quarter-final win over Portugal.
During Brazil's match against Norway, Elfath initially dismissed a penalty appeal for a foul by Kristoffer Ajer on Matheus Cunha, but VAR intervened and he overturned the decision; Bruno Guimaraes missed the resulting penalty.
