FIFA has appointed American referee Ismail Elfath to oversee the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
The decision was announced by football’s global governing body on Tuesday, with Elfath selected to take charge of Match 102, scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. EDT kick-off.
Also read: FIFA appoints referee for France-Spain World Cup semi-final
The decision places one of the world’s most experienced officials at the centre of a major tournament fixture featuring two of international football’s most decorated nations.
Elfath will be supported by fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins as assistant referees, while Italy’s Maurizio Mariani has been appointed fourth official.
Another Italian official, Daniele Bindoni, will serve as the reserve assistant referee.
The appointment comes as Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, continue their defence of the World Cup title they won in Qatar in 2022, while England aim to reach their first World Cup final since their triumph on home soil in 1966.
Argentina secured their semi-final place after a challenging knockout run, defeating Cape Verde 3-2 in the Round of 32, overcoming Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16 and beating Switzerland 3-1 in the quarter-finals.
England have also produced a strong campaign, defeating DR Congo 2-1 before edging Mexico 3-2 and overcoming Norway 2-1 in the quarter-finals to set up the meeting with Argentina.
The fixture is expected to attract global attention due to the historic rivalry between the two nations, which includes the famous 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico.
That match saw Diego Maradona score the controversial “Hand of God” goal before producing the memorable “Goal of the Century” in Argentina’s 2-1 victory.
Elfath, regarded as one of Major League Soccer’s leading referees, has previously officiated at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and several major international competitions.
Also read: FIFA appoints referee for France-Spain World Cup semi-final
The winner of the semi-final will secure a place in the 2026 World Cup final, while the losing side will move into the third-place play-off.
Ibrahim Onipede is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
