Ismail Elfath named referee for Argentina‑England World Cup 2026 semifinal

FIFA announced that U.S. referee Ismail Elfath will officiate the Argentina‑England semifinal of the 2026 World Cup. Elfath, a 44‑year‑old Moroccan‑born American, has already overseen three matches in the tournament – the Netherlands‑Japan group‑stage draw, Spain’s 1‑0 win over Uruguay and Norway’s 2‑1 upset of Brazil in the round of 16. He will be assisted by fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, with Italian officials Maurizio Mariani as fourth referee and Daniele Bindoni as reserve assistant. The match will be played at the Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in Atlanta on 15 July 2026, kicking off at 16:00 local time (15:00 UTC). This is the first time a CONCACAF referee has been appointed to a World Cup semifinal; the other semifinal (France‑Spain) will be overseen by Salvadoran referee Iván Barton. Brazilian official Wilton Pereira Sampaio is being tipped for the final, while Argentina will wear a blue kit in homage to their 1986 victory.