England and Argentina are set to lock horns in the second semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The England vs Argentina rivalry over the years has been pretty intense and often controversial, with the incidents ranging from Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” at the 1986 FIFA World Cup to David Beckham receiving a red card after clashing with Diego Simeone at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Referees and controversial officiating have been a recurring theme whenever these two teams have faced off.
And once again, a referee is set to make headlines when Lionel Messi’s Argentina take on Harry Kane’s England in Atlanta on Wednesday.
The referee appointed for the England vs Argentina semi-final is Moroccan-born American Ismail Elfath.
Who is Ismail Elfath?
Ismael Elfath was born on 3 March 1982 in Casablanca, Morocco. He, however, shifted to the United States as a teenager through the Diversity Visa Program. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas and eventually became a US citizen.
He currently resides in Austin, Texas. Elfath represented Austin Lightning, an amateur football club in the United States. The club played in USL Premier Development League, which is currently known as USL League Two.
However, he soon got frustrated with the refereeing standards during matches. He repeatedly complained about the referees, and one day, the league organiser challenged him to take up refereeing duties. “I was a hot-headed player,” Elfath was quoted as saying by the Austin Chronicle in 2022.
“I always complained to the guy that ran the league, and then one day he said, ‘You always complain. Why don’t you become a referee?’,” he added.
He used to work full-time in IT sales, but at the same time, Ismail also officiated youth and semi-professional football matches. In 2011, Ismail joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as a fourth official, and the next year, he became a full-time referee.
He received his FIFA badge in 2016 and oversaw the first-ever Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review when New York Red Bulls II and Orlando City B faced off in the USL Championship in August that year.
He went on to win the MLS Referee of the Year awards in 2020 and 2022.
Ismail Elfath’s connection with Lionel Messi
Ismail Elfath and Lionel Messi have a special, indirect connection with each other whenever both of them are on the same field.
Elfath was the fourth official when Lionel Messi scored a brace in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France.
When Inter Miami defeated Nashville 10-9 on penalties in the 2023 MLS Leagues Cup final, Elfath was the referee. Messi scored Inter Miami’s only goal in regular time before the match went straight to penalties. Messi also converted a penalty during the shootout.
Ismail has also officiated three MLS matches featuring Lionel Messi, all of which the Argentine’s Inter Miami side went on to win.
At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ismail has officiated in three matches — Netherlands vs Japan, Brazil vs Norway and Uruguay vs Spain — making the upcoming semi-final his fourth match.
Ismail even sent off Uruguay’s Augustin Canobbio for a reckless challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi during their group stage clash in Mexico’s Guadalajara.
The winner of Wednesday’s semi-final will lock horns with Spain in Sunday’s final in New Jersey. The loser, on the other hand, will face France in the third-place playoff match in Miami on Saturday.
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