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FIFA appointed American referee Ismail Elfath for the England vs. Argentina World Cup semi-final. Lionel Messi has never lost a match officiated by him.
Lionel Messi and Ismail Elfath
(AP)
FIFA has appointed American referee Ismail Elfath to officiate the blockbuster World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina, a decision that has reignited debate among sections of supporters over perceived refereeing bias in favour of the defending champions.
The Moroccan-born official, who represents the United States, will oversee Wednesday’s clash in Atlanta alongside assistant referees Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, while Italy’s Maurizio Mariani will serve as the fourth official. The fixture will be Elfath’s fourth assignment at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The appointment has attracted attention because of Elfath’s previous matches involving Lionel Messi. Since the Argentine superstar joined Inter Miami in 2023, Elfath has refereed four of his club matches, all of which ended in victories for Messi’s side. He also served as the fourth official during Argentina’s World Cup final triumph over France in Qatar in 2022.
Social media, naturally, is rife with debate about it, calling Elfath a ‘favorite’ referee for Messi, though there is no evidence to support the claim that he or any other official favors a particular player.
The announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny of officiating involving Argentina during the tournament. Their knockout victories over Egypt and Switzerland sparked criticism after contentious refereeing decisions, including a disallowed Egyptian goal and the dismissal of Swiss striker Breel Embolo following a VAR review.
Players and officials from both teams questioned several calls after their respective defeats, with some going so far as calling the World Cup ‘fixed’. FIFA has denied all conspiracies, yet those incidents have fuelled theories on social media alleging that the world body was favouring Argentina in Messi’s final World Cup campaign.
FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, recently defended the integrity of match officials, insisting referees operate independently and cannot be influenced by outside parties. He warned that baseless allegations risk exposing officials and their families to abuse and threats, while stressing that every decision is made in good faith.
Why Elfath’s appointment matters
While referee conspiracies are as old as football, the most real impact of a referee on a match comes from their style. Some are heavy-handed and control the game by giving as many yellow and red cards as necessary, while others like to let things flow, only punishing serious misdemeanors.
Elfath has adopted a firm disciplinary approach during the tournament, issuing eight yellow cards and one red card across his three matches. Both teams would be aware of this trend.
England will be aiming to reach their first World Cup final since 1966, while Argentina are chasing successive appearances in football’s biggest showpiece.
American referee Ismail Elfath will officiate the Argentina-England World Cup semi-final. Lionel Messi has never lost a match refereed by Elfath. The impact of a referee on a match comes from their style, with some controlling games heavily and others letting them flow.
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