Moroccan-American football referee Ismail Elfath will officiate the seismic FIFA World Cup semifinal showdown between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday.
It marks the fourth match the 44-year-old has been in charge of at this tournament, after the 2-2 draw between Japan and the Netherlands and Spain’s 1-0 win against Uruguay in the group stage, as well as Norway’s stunning 2-1 victory in the round-of-16 meeting with Brazil.
Here’s everything to know about Elfath’s personal background and refereeing career:
Born in the Moroccan city of Casablanca, Elfath migrated to the United States in 2001 as a 17-year-old after securing a visa under the US Diversity Visa Program – what was commonly called the “diversity lottery”.
Graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas, Elfath later became a naturalised US citizen.
He resides in Austin, Texas.
Elfath’s foray into refereeing was rather accidental, as he started out as a player, featuring as a striker for amateur team Austin Lightning in USL League Two.
Poor refereeing decisions during his playing time prompted him to pick up the whistle himself.
After attending a refereeing clinic, Elfath picked up officiating shifts in youth games, high schools and semi-pro leagues. All along, he worked a full-time job in IT sales.
Finally, Elfath made the jump to the US’s top-flight Major League Soccer (MLS) as a fourth official in 2011 before becoming a referee the following year.
In 2016, he was officially listed as a FIFA referee.
The same year, the American was also part of a piece of history: Elfath was the referee during a USL match between New York Red Bulls II and Orlando City B, where the first worldwide on-field Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review took place.
Over the last 14 years working in MLS, Elfath was twice named the league’s Referee of the Year (2020, 2022).
The 2026 edition marks Elfath’s second World Cup appearance, and he is one of a record eight US football referees at the tournament.
Across the three games he has officiated, Elfath issued seven yellow cards and one red – to Uruguay’s Agustin Canobbio for a wild lunge on Pau Cubarsi.
For the semifinal between England and Argentina, Elfath will be assisted by fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, while Italy’s Maurizio Mariani is the fourth official, and his compatriot Daniele Bindoni is the reserve assistant referee.
Credit: aljazeera.com
