Moroccan-born Ismail Elfath becomes first American to referee a World Cup semi-final

Ismail Elfath will step into the record books on Wednesday when he referees England’s 2026 World Cup semi-final against Argentina at Atlanta Stadium, becoming the first American to officiate a men’s World Cup semi-final in the tournament’s history.

Born in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1982, Elfath immigrated to the United States in 2001 after winning a diversity visa lottery at the age of 18. He went on to graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2006 before committing fully to a career in professional officiating.

Elfath has been a fixture in Major League Soccer since 2012, earning recognition as one of the country’s top officials. He was named MLS Referee of the Year in both 2020 and 2022, a double honour that underlined his standing within the domestic game.

His international profile grew steadily after he was added to FIFA’s list of referees in 2016. He has since officiated at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and built a reputation at the highest levels of the global game. The England vs Argentina tie will be his fourth assignment at the 2026 tournament, having previously handled matches in the group stage and the round of 16.

Elfath is no stranger to high-stakes occasions. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar he refereed Portugal vs Ghana and Cameroon vs Brazil, and was selected as fourth official for the final between Argentina and France — an experience that placed him at the very centre of the sport’s biggest stage without yet holding the whistle for the decisive moments.

Wednesday’s semi-final represents the culmination of that journey, with Elfath now entrusted with one of the most anticipated fixtures in international football.