American Elfath to referee England v Argentina

Fifa has announced that American referee Ismail Elfath will officiate the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina in Atlanta. The 44-year-old has already worked several matches in the tournament, including group games and Norway's last-16 victory over Brazil, where he issued six yellow cards and sent off Uruguay's Agustin Canobbio for a high challenge. Elfath, who has twice won MLS referee of the year, previously officiated at the 2022 World Cup and was the fourth official for the final between France and Argentina. Meanwhile, English referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor, as well as Argentine official Facundo Tello, have been ruled out of contention for the final due to Fifa regulations regarding conflicts of interest stemming from the political rivalry between England and Argentina.