FIFA appoints American referee Ismail Elfath to take charge of the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina. Multiple outlets report that Elfath will officiate the match, which adds further attention to his background and tournament experience. Al Jazeera and other coverage describe Elfath as an American-Moroccan referee and note that this is his fourth game at the 2026 World Cup. The Athletic adds biographical detail, saying he is 44, a University of Texas at Austin graduate, and has refereed in Major League Soccer since 2012. NDTV states that he has already officiated specific matches in the tournament, including group-stage games such as Uruguay vs Spain and Netherlands vs Japan, as well as the Round of 16 in which Brazil loses to Norway. Several reports also reference that Elfath has previously officiated matches involving Lionel Messi and that this has led to online discussion, including speculation about whether he is associated with Messi’s results. Some outlets mention criticism or concern about whether the referee can handle the pressure of a semi-final, while FIFA has defended its appointments against claims of favoritism.