FIFA has appointed American referee Ismail Elfath to take charge of the 2026 World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina.
Elfath will oversee one of the biggest matches of the tournament as England and Argentina meet for a place in the final.
The official has already refereed three matches during this World Cup, including the recent last-16 encounter between Norway and Brazil, a game that attracted attention because of two disputed penalty decisions.
In Norway’s victory over Brazil, Elfath was involved in two controversial moments involving possible spot-kicks for the South American side.
The first incident came when Brazil appealed for a penalty after Kristoffer Ajer appeared to bring down Matheus Cunha. Elfath initially decided not to award a penalty, but the decision was later overturned following a VAR review.
Brazil were then awarded a spot kick, but Bruno Guimaraes failed to convert the opportunity.
Later in the match, Elfath pointed to the penalty spot after judging that Leo Ostigard had made contact with Casemiro with his elbow. Neymar converted the resulting penalty, although it only proved to be a late consolation as Norway secured their place in the next round.
The Norway-Brazil fixture was the latest of three matches that Elfath has handled at the tournament.
His first assignment came during the group stage when he refereed the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw against Japan.
He was also in charge of Spain’s 1-0 victory over Uruguay, a match that became a tense contest and saw Uruguay reduced to 10 players.
During that encounter, Elfath sent off Uruguay midfielder Augustin Canobbio for serious foul play in a match described as highly competitive and intense.
Despite the scrutiny surrounding some of his decisions, FIFA has now selected the American official for the semi-final meeting between two of international football’s most recognised teams.
The England-Argentina clash is expected to attract worldwide attention, with both nations aiming to move one step closer to lifting the World Cup trophy.
Elfath’s appointment means he will take responsibility for maintaining control of a fixture involving two teams with a strong football rivalry and significant tournament ambitions.
His experience across three matches at the competition has placed him among the officials trusted by FIFA during the later stages of the tournament.
The semi-final will provide another major test for Elfath, who has already been involved in several important moments during the 2026 World Cup.
With a place in the final at stake, his decisions will come under close examination as England and Argentina compete in a match expected to be one of the defining moments of the tournament.
