2002 оноос хойш анх удаа дэлхийн аваргын тайзнаа өрсөлдөх гэж буй Англи, Аргентины шигшээ багууд Атланта хотод финалд үлдэх эрхийн төлөө хүч үзнэ.
Лхагва гарагт болох тус тоглолтыг АНУ-ын шүүгч Исмаил Элфат шүүхээр томилогдсон нь олны анхаарлыг татаж байна. Элфат нь 2022 оны ДАШТ-ий шигшээ тоглолтод дөрөв дэх шүүгчээр ажиллаж байсан туршлагатай нэгэн бөгөөд энэ удаагийн тэмцээнд дөрөв дэх удаагаа үүрэг гүйцэтгэх гэж байна.
Түүний шүүлт Аргентины тоглолтуудад маргаан дагуулсаар ирсэн тул энэ удаагийн хагас шигшээ тоглолт ихээхэн дарамт дор өрнөх төлөвтэй байна. Тухайлбал, шүүгчийн шийдвэрт сэтгэл дундуур байгаагаа Египетийн тоглогч Мостафа Зико илэрхийлж, тэмцээнийг Аргентины талд ашигтайгаар зохион байгуулж байна хэмээн мэдэгдсэн бол Швейцарын дасгалжуулагч Мурат Якин шүүгчийн алдаанаас болж хохирлоо гэж үзэж байгаа юм.
Шүүгчийн шинжээч Грэм Скоттын үзэж буйгаар, Элфат нь тоглолтын урсгалыг алдагдуулахгүйг хичээдэг ч зарим тохиолдолд VAR-ын тусламжгүйгээр шийдвэр гаргахаас зайлсхийдэг талтай. Түүний багт туслах шүүгчээр Кори Паркер, Кайл Аткинс, харин дөрөв дэх шүүгчээр Италийн Маурицио Мариани нар ажиллах бол VAR-ын системд Марко Ди Белло, Хуан Лара, Татьяна Гузман нар тус тус ажиллана.
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For the first time since 2002, the deep-rooted rivalry between England and Argentina will be reignited at a World Cup on Wednesday.
After each coming through their three knockout fixtures — and neither doing so in particularly comfortable fashion — England and Argentina will meet in Atlanta for the chance to play either France or Spain in Sunday’s showcase at MetLife Stadium.
The semifinal kicks off at 3pm ET/12pm PT/8pm BST.
Here,The Athletichas compiled all you need to know about the officials for the game.
Who is the referee?
U.S.-based referee Ismail Elfath has been appointed for Wednesday’s semifinal, marking his fourth match assignment at this summer’s tournament.
Morocco-born Elfath, 44, is a graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, and has refereed in MLS since 2012. In August 2016, he was part of the first on-field video assistant referee (VAR) call as the system had its first live trial in a game between New York Red Bulls II and Orlando City B.
Elfath, refereeing his second World Cup, became a FIFA-listed referee in 2016. He is considered a referee who allows matches to flow as much as possible.
(Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images)
He was the fourth official for the 2022 World Cup final, when Argentina beat France on penalties after a pulsating 3-3 draw.
Among his other noteworthy assignments, Elfath was appointed as referee for the 2025-26 Concacaf Champions Cup final between Toluca and Tigres, and the 2023 Leagues Cup final, which saw Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami beat Nashville 11-10 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
He has refereed several matches involving Argentina captain Messi since his move to the MLS in 2023, most recently, Inter Miami’s 4-2 win against Orlando City in March. Orlando’s Colin Guske was sent off in that match for a push on Messi while already booked.
Elfath and his team of officials will almost certainly be under intense scrutiny Wednesday, as the tournament reaches its critical stages, and after a number of controversial incidents, particularly in Argentina’s matches.
Their last-16 opponents, Egypt, felt particularly aggrieved after a number of decisions went against them in a 3-2 defeat, which led their goalscorer in the match, Mostafa Ziko, to say “the cup is directed towards Argentina“.
Members of the Switzerland team were also critical of the refereeing in their quarterfinal against Argentina, after Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for simulation in the first consequential implementation of the new “mistaken identity” rule. Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin said the situation was “extremely hurtful” and he felt his side had been “punished by a referee mistake.”
The expert view
Analysis from referee expert Graham Scott
Referee appointments are becoming so political that we should not be surprised that an American referee of African heritage has been chosen to officiate a World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina, a fixture laden with political history.
Ismail Elfath is of Moroccan descent and moved to the U.S after winning a diversity visa lottery aged 18.
Now an American citizen, he has an impressive CV. He reffed the under-20 World Cup final in 2016, at a Club World Cup, the 2020 Olympics (in 2021) and an Africa Cup of Nations.
Elfath’s first big call at this tournament was to send off Agustin Canobbio of Uruguay for an ugly challenge in stoppage time on Pau Cubarsi. The decision was rightly accepted, but then it was back in the day when red cards were less, erm, political.
In Brazil vs. Norway, he needed the VAR’s help to spot Kristoffer Ajer’s foul on Matheus Cunha in the box, which was a forgivable error given his position and angle. He would have suspected Ajer got a toe on the ball.
(Timothy A Clary / AFP via Getty Images)
Brazil’s second penalty late on, when Leo Ostigard was penalised after catching Casemiro with his elbow, was a poor call that would have attracted more negative coverage had Norway not been 2-0 up with only a minute to play.
All the previous three England-Argentina match ups at World Cups have involved refereeing decisions that left both sides with a sense of grievance.
Rudolf Kreitlein (West Germany) sent off Argentine captain Antonio Rattin in 1966; Ali Ben Nasser (Tunisia) missed the ‘hand of god’ in 1986; Kim Milton Nielsen (Denmark) sent off David Beckham for ‘violent conduct’ in 1998; and Pierluigi Collina (Italy) gave England the softest of penalties when Michael Owen threw himself to the ground in 2002.
Let’s hope the name Ismail Elfath is not added to the list and that the better team wins, fair and square.
Who are the assistants and VAR?
Elfath’s compatriots, Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, have been named as his assistants, while Italy’s Daniele Bindoni the reserve assistant referee.
Maurizio Mariani, also of Italy, has been appointed as fourth official. Mariani himself has refereed three matches at this summer’s World Cup, including the last-32 clash between Brazil and Japan, and is regularly seen officiating in the Champions League, taking seven matches in 2025-26, including the quarterfinal second leg between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.
Marco Di Bello, also of Italy, is the video assistant referee with Chile’s Juan Lara assisting him. Nicaragua’s Tatiana Guzman is the support VAR.
Have any of the officials been involved in controversial incidents?
Elfath came in for some criticism during the last-16 clash between Norway and Brazil after failing to initially award Carlo Ancelotti’s side a first-half penalty for Kristoffer Ajer’s foul on Matheus Cunha. The penalty was given, following a VAR intervention, and The Athletic’s refereeing expert Graham Scott was “surprised” Elfath didn’t point straight to the spot.
Scott said: “It adds weight to the argument that referees are shying away from making positive penalty decisions and leaving VAR to pick up the pieces. I know from experience that there is generally more forgiveness for refs who miss offences than those who penalise an innocent player.”
Some criticism was also directed towards Elfath over perceived leniency during Spain’s group-stage win against Uruguay, though he did send off Agustin Canobbio for Marcelo Bielsa’s side after a high challenge on Pau Cubarsi.
Fourth official Mariani, meanwhile, was at the centre of a controversial Serie A match during the 2025-26 campaign between Napoli and Inter. Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport reported that Mariani was stood down for the following round of fixtures after coming under heavy scrutiny for Napoli’s penalty and a missed handball call.
Which other World Cup 2026 matches has Elfath refereed?
- Group stages: Netherlands 2-2 Japan
- Group stages: Uruguay 0-1 Spain
- Round of 16: Brazil 1-2 Norway
