FIFA has appointed American referee Ismail Elfath to officiate the World Cup semi-final match between England and Argentina, a decision that has drawn attention due to Messi's previous success under his guidance. This marks the most high-profile assignment of Elfath's career.
Elfath, who was born in Morocco and is now an American citizen, will be assisted by compatriots Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins. This will be his fourth match in the current World Cup, but the first time he will officiate either England or Argentina in this tournament. He served as the fourth official during the 2022 World Cup final when Argentina defeated France.
Since Lionel Messi joined MLS club Inter Miami in July 2023, Elfath has officiated four of his club matches, all of which resulted in wins for Messi's team. These include the Leagues Cup final against Nashville SC, where Messi scored and his team ultimately won on penalties. Across these four club matches, Messi has scored a total of four goals.
Elfath's officiating record in MLS this season shows a tendency to issue cautions; in 10 matches prior to the World Cup break, he handed out 41 yellow cards, three red cards, and awarded three penalties. In the current World Cup, he has issued eight yellow cards and one red card across three games: Netherlands vs. Japan, Spain vs. Uruguay, and Norway vs. Brazil.
The Spain vs. Uruguay match drew criticism from Spanish media, who accused Elfath of not being firm enough with the Uruguayan players. Controversy also arose in the Norway vs. Brazil game when Elfath initially dismissed Brazil's penalty appeal, only to overturn his decision after a VAR review, leading to a missed spot-kick.
Argentina has faced scrutiny regarding officiating in the tournament. Following their quarter-final win against Switzerland, Swiss defender Manuel Akanji claimed decisions were made "against us." Switzerland's manager Murat Yakin called the refereeing "incomprehensible" after striker Breel Embolo was controversially sent off due to a new rule regarding mistaken identity following a VAR review. Earlier, Egypt's manager Hossam Hassan accused FIFA of rigging the tournament in favor of Messi for marketing reasons after his team's elimination.
FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina has defended the integrity of the World Cup officials, refuting allegations of bias. He stated that while discussions about decisions are normal, unfounded allegations can lead to threats against officials and their families, emphasizing that FIFA refereeing operates with complete independence. Collina acknowledged that in a high volume of matches, not everything may go as planned, but stressed that officials aim to do their best and cannot be influenced.
Elfath's appointment for the England-Argentina semi-final will undoubtedly place him under intense scrutiny as the two nations vie for a place in the World Cup final.