Dhaka
Photo: .
The match will be played on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz
Stadium in Atlanta. Elfath will be assisted by fellow Americans Corey
Parker and Kyle Atkins. Italy's Maurizio
Mariani will serve as the fourth official, while Daniele
Bindoni has been appointed reserve assistant referee.
The 44-year-old referee has already overseen three
matches at this World Cup. He officiated the Netherlands vs
Japan and Uruguay vs Spain group-stage fixtures
before taking charge of the Brazil vs Norway Round of 16
match, where Norway secured a surprise 2-1 victory to reach
the quarter-finals.
According to USA Today, Elfath was born in Morocco
and moved to the United States in 2001
through the Diversity Visa Lottery program. He is currently based in Texas.
Elfath has been officiating in Major League Soccer (MLS)
since 2012 and became a FIFA-listed international
referee in 2016. He made his World Cup debut at the 2022
FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he also served as the fourth
official in the final between France and Argentina.
Regarded as one of North America's most experienced referees, Elfath has
also officiated the 2022 MLS Cup Final and the 2026
CONCACAF Champions Cup Final. In addition, he has been named MLS
Referee of the Year on two occasions.
Refereeing decisions in Argentina's Round of 16 victory over Egypt and quarter-final win against Switzerland drew criticism from their opponents. As a result, football fans and analysts are expected to closely watch Elfath's performance in the high-stakes semi-final against England.
