Ismail Elfath named referee for England v Argentina World Cup semi-final

Ismail Elfath has been appointed referee for the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, with the American official carrying a notable record in Lionel Messi’s most significant victories.

Elfath served as fourth official during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup final triumph over France and was the referee for Messi’s first trophy with Inter Miami — the 2023 Leagues Cup final. Whether that history amounts to anything more than coincidence, his appointment has not gone unnoticed ahead of one of international football’s most charged fixtures.

Born in Morocco, Elfath became a naturalised United States citizen after emigrating at 18 on a Diversity Immigrant Visa. Now 44, he has built the bulk of his experience in MLS and has already refereed three matches at this tournament — Japan v Netherlands, Uruguay v Spain, and Norway’s last-16 win over Brazil. Across 334 competitive matches, he averages just over three bookings per game.

He will be assisted by fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, with Italy’s Maurizio Mariani named as fourth official.

The match pits reigning world champions Argentina against an England side that needed extra time to eliminate Norway in the quarter-finals, reaching a second World Cup semi-final in eight years. It will be only the second time the two nations have met at the knockout stage of a World Cup — England winning the only previous such encounter, in 1966.

Argentina also required extra time to advance, with Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scoring in their quarter-final win over Switzerland. Messi will look to steer the Albiceleste toward a fourth world title against an England team built around Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham under manager Thomas Tuchel.