Ismail Elfath, the referee in charge of England vs Argentina's World Cup semi-final
The Moroccan-born American referee takes charge of one of football's fiercest rivalries, with an intriguing Lionel Messi connection drawing added attention.
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The International Football Association (FIFA) has announced the appointment of American referee Ismail Elfath to officiate today's 2026 World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina.
The match marks the first meeting between England and Argentina since 2005, and their first World Cup encounter since 2002.
Previous clashes between the two nations have been surrounded by controversy, including Diego Maradona's famous "Hand of God" goal in 1986 and David Beckham's red card following a foul on Diego Simeone in 1998.
Who is referee Ismail Elfath?
Ismail Elfath was born in Morocco and moved to the United States in 2001. He is 44 years old.
So far at the 2026 World Cup, Elfath has officiated three matches: Japan vs. Netherlands, Uruguay vs. Spain, and Brazil vs. Norway. Across those games, he has issued six yellow cards and one red card.
British media have suggested that Elfath could be a good luck charm for Argentina, as he served as the fourth official in the 2022 World Cup final between France and Argentina, where Argentina lifted the title.
The match officials for @FIFAWorldCup match 102 have been appointed. 🤝
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) July 13, 2026
Lionel Messi has also won all five matches officiated by Elfath since joining Inter Miami in 2023.
Some media outlets have even described Ismail Elfath as Messi's "favorite referee."