Ismail Elfath, a Moroccan-born American referee, will take charge of the highly anticipated World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina on Wednesday night in Atlanta. This match marks the first competitive meeting between the two sides since the 2002 World Cup, reigniting one of international football's fiercest rivalries.
Who is Ismail Elfath?
Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Elfath moved to the United States at age 18 after winning a government 'diversity lottery ticket.' He studied mechanical engineering in Texas while playing for Austin Lightning in the USL League Two. His move into refereeing was driven by dissatisfaction with officiating standards, and he became a professional referee in 2011.
Elfath has since established himself as one of North America's top officials, winning the MLS Referee of the Year award in 2020 and 2022. He officiated three games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, including the famous match where he sent off Cameroon's Vincent Aboubakar for removing his shirt after scoring a dramatic winner against Brazil.
Elfath's World Cup record
At this summer's World Cup, Elfath has officiated three matches: Netherlands vs Japan, Uruguay vs Spain, and Norway vs Brazil in the Round of 16. He issued eight yellow cards and one red card across these games, averaging 2.7 bookings per match. In the Uruguay vs Spain match, he awarded a red card to Agustin Canobbio for a foul on Pau Cubarsi in stoppage time. During Norway's 2-1 win over Brazil, he missed an obvious penalty for Brazil, but VAR spared his blushes.
Good omen for Argentina and Messi?
Elfath could be a good omen for Argentina, as he was the fourth official for the 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won on penalties against France. Additionally, Lionel Messi has won all five Inter Miami matches that Elfath has officiated. Argentina will hope this trend continues in the semi-final against England.
