FIFA Appoints American Referee for Crucial Semi-Final
FIFA has appointed American referee Ismail Elfath to officiate Wednesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina. The 44-year-old official has already taken charge of three matches at the tournament: Japan vs. Netherlands, Uruguay vs. Spain, and Brazil vs. Norway. In those games, he issued six yellow cards and one red card, the latter shown to Uruguay's Agustín Canobbio.
Concacaf Representation in Semi-Finals
Elfath will be assisted by fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins. His appointment makes him the second Concacaf official to be given a semi-final assignment, following El Salvadorean referee Ivan Barton, who will officiate the France-Spain clash in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.
Road to the Semi-Finals
Argentina progressed to the semi-finals after defeating Cape Verde 3-2 in the Round of 32, edging Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16, and overcoming Switzerland 3-1 in the quarter-finals. England also enjoyed a strong knockout run, beating DR Congo 2-1 in the Round of 32, Mexico 3-2 in the Round of 16, and Norway 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
Historic Encounter
England and Argentina will meet for the first time since 2005 when they play on Wednesday. Their last World Cup encounter was at the 2002 World Cup. The match promises to be a highly anticipated clash between two football powerhouses.
