Referee dubbed Messi's 'favourite' to officiate Argentina-England World Cup semi-final

Moroccon-American referee Ismail Elfath, dubbed Lionel Messi's 'favourite' referee, will officiate Argentina's FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final against England. Elfath has overseen five matches involving Messi, with the Argentine's team winning all of them. He was also the fourth official when Argentina defeated France in FIFA World Cup 2022 final in Qatar.