Fifa has named American referee Ismail Elfath to officiate England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday. The 44-year-old, who moved to the US from Morocco at 18 after winning a diversity visa lottery, has been something of a lucky presence for Argentina forward Lionel Messi: he was the fourth official for Argentina's 2022 World Cup final win over France and refereed Messi's first Inter Miami trophy – a penalty shootout victory against Nashville SC in the 2023 Leagues Cup final.
Elfath has issued six yellow cards in the tournament and sent off Uruguay midfielder Agustin Canobbio for a high challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi. After his dismissal, Canobbio confronted the referee and grabbed his shirt. Elfath previously officiated group games between Japan and the Netherlands, Uruguay and Spain, as well as Norway's last‑16 win over Brazil. A Major League Soccer referee since 2012, he has twice won MLS referee of the year.
“American referee Ismail Elfath, who officiated Messi's first Inter Miami trophy, will referee England vs Argentina World Cup semi-final.”
The match will be played at the Mercedes‑Benz Stadium, renamed Atlanta Stadium for the tournament due to Fifa's strict branding rules. However, Fifa has been powerless to cover the giant Mercedes logo on the retractable roof, which consists of eight petals each weighing 500 tons and stretching 220 feet long. Adam Fullerton, the stadium's vice‑president of operations, admitted he had been “up all night” trying to find a solution in early 2025, but covering the badge risked damaging the structure. “It's not just on the roof,” he said. “It's on all the facades of the stadium, too.” The roof has remained closed throughout the World Cup, with air‑conditioning keeping the interior cool amid soaring heat. The Mercedes logo conflicts with Fifa's mobility partners Hyundai and Kia.
English referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor have been ruled out of contention to referee the final because of Fifa regulations around conflict of interest. The regulations, which also prevent Argentine referee Facundo Tello from taking charge, stem from the political rivalry between the two nations, in part because of the Falklands conflict in 1982. All three officials are also ineligible for the third-placed play-off.
The semi‑final kicks off at 20:00 BST on Wednesday and will be shown live on BBC One.