Ismail Elfath is the England vs Argentina referee for Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final. The American took charge the last time Argentina played for the biggest prize of all.
Elfath, 44, takes charge at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with kick-off at 8pm UK time. Compatriots Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins run the lines, with Italy’s Maurizio Mariani as fourth official. A place in Sunday’s final is at stake, along with top billing in the World Cup winner odds. As a result, every call will carry weight.
| Name | Ismail Elfath |
| Born | 3 March 1982, Casablanca, Morocco (age 44) |
| FIFA referee since | 2016 |
| MLS referee since | 2012 |
| Matches officiated | 334 |
| Yellow cards | 1,228 (3.68 per game) |
| Red cards | 83 (0.25 per game) |
| Penalties awarded | 111 (0.33 per game) |
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 14 July 2026.
Who is Ismail Elfath?
Born in Casablanca in 1982, Elfath moved to the United States at 18 after winning a green card lottery, and later took American citizenship. He has refereed in MLS since 2012, twice winning its Referee of the Year award. His FIFA badge followed in 2016. Beyond the league, his CV takes in the Olympics, a U20 World Cup final and the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup final.
His numbers sit at the moderate end of this tournament’s officials. He averages 3.68 yellow cards per game across 334 matches, per Transfermarkt — close to Michael Oliver, and well below the 5.15 of fellow semi-final referee Iván Barton. In addition, his 83 red cards work out at 0.25 per game.
Ismail Elfath World Cup record
| World Cup matches | 6 (three at Qatar 2022, three in 2026) |
| Yellow cards | 22 (3.67 per game) |
| Red cards | 2 (Aboubakar 2022, Canobbio 2026) |
| Penalties awarded | 3 |
World Cup record courtesy of Transfermarkt.
Wednesday will be Elfath’s seventh World Cup match with the whistle — plus one without it. He was fourth official for the 2022 final, when Argentina beat France on penalties. In Qatar he also gave the penalty from which Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man to score at five World Cups, and sent off Vincent Aboubakar for celebrating a stoppage-time winner against Brazil.
At this World Cup he has refereed Netherlands 2-2 Japan, Spain’s 1-0 win over Uruguay and Norway 2-1 Brazil, where his only booking was Neymar in the 96th minute. He has never taken charge of England or Argentina, though. Notably, his card rate barely moves between club and tournament football: 3.67 yellows per World Cup game against 3.68 for his career.
England vs Argentina referee: what can both sides expect?
Consistency, mostly. Elfath cards at World Cups exactly as he does in MLS, so expect bookings where they are earned — our England vs Argentina card tips weigh up who is most at risk. However, the penalty column deserves attention: three in six World Cup matches, including Ronaldo’s. With Harry Kane and Lionel Messi on the pitch, that is no small thing. Both camps have selection calls to weigh too. Our England vs Argentina team news and predicted lineups cover those.
Then there is the narrative. Elfath refereed Inter Miami’s 2023 Leagues Cup final win — Messi’s first trophy in America — and was fourth official the night Argentina lifted the World Cup. Some outlets now call him Messi’s lucky charm. The England vs Argentina referee appointment is a tournament first all the same: CONCACAF officials for both semi-finals, with the hosts already out. For a fixture that has produced the Hand of God and a Beckham red card, a calm and consistent official might be exactly the point.
FAQs
Not as the man in the middle. However, he was fourth official for Argentina’s World Cup final win over France in 2022, and he refereed Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the 2023 Leagues Cup final. There is no England match on his major-tournament record.
Six — Portugal vs Ghana, Cameroon vs Brazil and Japan vs Croatia at Qatar 2022, then Netherlands vs Japan, Uruguay vs Spain and Brazil vs Norway in 2026. England vs Argentina is his seventh, and his first World Cup semi-final.
Ismail Elfath is supported by American assistant referees Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins. Italy’s Maurizio Mariani is the fourth official. In addition, FIFA will confirm the video officials closer to kick-off.
Of course, the whistle is only part of the story. Our England vs Argentina predictions and best bets cover the betting angle. You can also follow every call in our England vs Argentina match centre.