
American referee Ismail Elfath has been appointed to officiate the World Cup semifinal between England and Argentina.
The 44 -year-old has already handled three matches at this tournament, including Japan vs Netherlands, Uruguay vs Spain and Norway’s last 16 victory over Brazil, where he issued six yellow cards and one straight red card.
Elfath is no stranger to Lionel Messi, having served as the fourth official during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph and refereeing Inter Miami’s 2023 Leagues Cup final victory, Messi’s first trophy with the club.
Fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins will serve as assistant referees, while Italy’s Maurizio Mariani has been named fourth official. Since joining Major League Soccer in 2012, Elfath has built a strong reputation, winning MLS Referee of the Year twice.
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