FIFA World Cup: Meet Ismail Elfath, referee for England-Argentina semifinal

American-Moroccan referee Elfath will take charge of England vs Argentina, his fourth game at the 2026 World Cup.Moroccan-American football referee Ismail Elfath will officiate the seismic FIFA World Cup semifinal showdown between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday.It marks the fourth match the 44-year-old has been in charge of at this tournament, after the 2-2 draw between Japan and the Netherlands and Spain’s 1-0 win against Uruguay in the group stage, as well as Norway’s stunning 2-1 victory in the round-of-16 meeting with Brazil.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3‘Kylian is fine’: France ready, full-strength for Spain World Cup semifinallist 2 of 3Best birthday present for Yamal? World Cup semifinal win over Francelist 3 of 3Who will win the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Here’s what AI predictsend of listHere’s everything to know about Elfath’s personal background and refereeing career:To the United States, via MoroccoBorn in the Moroccan city of Casablanca, Elfath migrated to the United States in 2001 as a 17-year-old after securing a visa under the US Diversity Visa Program – what was commonly called the “diversity lottery”.Graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas, Elfath later became a naturalised US citizen.He resides in Austin, Texas.From Major League Soccer to the World Cup stageElfath’s foray into refereeing was rather accidental, as he started out as a player, featuring as a striker for amateur team Austin Lightning in USL League Two.Poor refereeing decisions during his playing time prompted him to pick up the whistle himself.“I was a hot-headed player,” Elfath said in an interview with the Austin Chronicle newspaper in 2022.“I always complained to the guy that ran the league, and then one day he was like, ‘Man, you always complain, you should just become a referee.’”After attending a refereeing clinic, Elfath picked up officiating shifts in youth games, high schools and semi-pro leagues. All along, he worked a full-time job in IT sales.