Who are the referees for the match between England and Argentina?

Who are the referees for the match between England and Argentina?

According to Foxsports.

Context

England and Argentina have a rich history of direct clashes, and the 2026 World Cup semi-final promises to be another exciting chapter in this rivalry. With key players such as Harry Kane and Lionel Messi on the pitch, the impact of the match could reverberate into future competitions and the preparation for the 2026 World Cup, where both teams will look to stand out.

Why this matters

The semi-final between England and Argentina is one of the most anticipated clashes of the 2026 World Cup, with significant implications for the future of both teams. The performance of players like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham can influence not only the outcome of the game, but also the season and preparation for the tournament. Furthermore, the presence of Lionel Messi, football icon, increases the expectation and importance of the duel.

Main conclusions

• Who are the referees for the match between England and Argentina?.
• England faces Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, with Ismail Elfath refereeing the match.
• Lionel Messi remains central to England's plans.

This Wednesday, July 15th, England prepares to face Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium, in a World Cup semi-final that promises to be electrifying. The winner will guarantee a place in the final against Spain, who already qualified after defeating France 2-0 in the other semi-final. England started their campaign with an impressive victory over Croatia, winning 4-2. However, the team fell on hard times, with a draw against Ghana and a lackluster victory over Panama, which guaranteed them first place in their group. In the round of 16, England had a scare against the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they needed a heroic comeback with two goals from Harry Kane to win 2-1. From then on, young Jude Bellingham shone, scoring two goals in each of the victories over Mexico in the round of 16 and Norway in the quarters, including the decisive goal in extra time against the Nordics. For their part, Argentina also started strong, winning all three group stage games. However, the challenges increased in the knockout stages. The current champions needed extra time to beat Cape Verde 3-2 in the round of 16. In the next match, Argentina was losing 2-0 to Egypt, but achieved an impressive comeback with three goals in the last minutes, closing the game 3-2. In the quarterfinals, the Argentine team advanced 3-1 over Switzerland after extra time, where Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring, and Breel Embolo was sent off, changing the course of the match. Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez were key, with the latter securing a late safety goal. The referee of the match will be Ismail Elfath, an American referee of Moroccan origin, who refereed his second World Cup, having also been in 2022. This will be his fourth appointment in the 2026 World Cup, after refereeing the draw between countriesNetherlands and Japan (2-2), Spain's victory over Uruguay (1-0) and Norway's victory over Brazil (2-1) in the round of 16. This game represents the most prestigious match Elfath has officiated as head referee at the World Cup. Furthermore, Messi has a favorable history with Elfath, who served as fourth official in Argentina's victory over France in the 2022 World Cup final. Since Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023, he has won all four games in which Elfath has been the referee. **Referees:** **Main Referee:** Ismail Elfath (United States) **Assistant 1:** Corey Parker (United States) **Assistant 2:** Kyle Atkins (United States) **Fourth Referee:** Maurizio Mariani (Italy) With players like Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Alexis Mac Allister on the field, expectations for this semi-final are extremely high!

What happens next

The winner of this match will guarantee a place in the final against Spain, who have already qualified by defeating France. For England and Argentina, the match is not just about advancing in the tournament, but also about solidifying their positions as world football powerhouses, especially with the 2026 World Cup approaching. Performance in this semi-final could impact teams' morale and strategy for the future.