England will face Argentina on Wednesday, July 15, at Atlanta Stadium for a place in the World Cup final against Spain. Spain secured its spot at New York/New Jersey Stadium with a 2-0 victory over France in the opening semifinal.
England opened the tournament with a 4-2 win over Croatia before drawing with Ghana and scraping past Panama to top its group. The Three Lions then survived a round-of-32 scare against DR Congo, rallying for a 2-1 win courtesy of a Harry Kane brace. Jude Bellingham subsequently erupted for back-to-back braces against Mexico and Norway, his extra-time winner against the latter propelling England into the last four.
Argentina won all three group matches but has navigated a treacherous knockout path. The defending champions required extra time to edge Cape Verde 3-2, then overturned a 2-0 deficit against Egypt with three goals after the 79th minute. In the quarterfinals, Argentina overcame Switzerland 3-1 after extra time; Julián Álvarez broke the deadlock in the 112th minute following Breel Embolo’s red card, and Lautaro Martínez added a late second. Lionel Messi has been pivotal, scoring eight goals in six matches.
Match Officials Confirmed for Semifinal
(Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Moroccan-born American official Ismail Elfath will take charge of the semifinal on home soil in the United States.
This marks Elfath’s second World Cup appearance following the 2022 tournament. In 2026, he has already overseen four matches: the Netherlands-Japan group draw (2-2), Spain’s 1-0 win over Uruguay, and Norway’s 2-1 round-of-16 victory against Brazil. This semifinal represents the highest-profile World Cup assignment of his career as a center referee.
Messi holds a favorable record with Elfath. The American served as fourth official during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup final triumph over France. Since Messi’s move to Inter Miami in 2023, his side has won all four matches officiated by Elfath.
Fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins will assist Elfath, while Italy’s Maurizio Mariani serves as the fourth official.
Referee: Ismail Elfath (United States)
Assistant Referee 1: Corey Parker (United States)
Assistant Referee 2: Kyle Atkins (United States)
Fourth Official: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
Messi & Argentina Reach Semifinals Instant Reaction to Extra-Time Win vs Switzerland
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