By Gopal Ram Tripathi
Key Points:
FIFA appoints Referee Ismail Elfath for Wednesday's match between Argentina and England.
Fans notice Elfath's connection with Messi, Elfath has officiated Messi's Inter Miami matches in MLS.
Three lions are worried upon hearing this news, as fans claim that it is already "rigged"for Messi.
REFEREE ISMAIL ELFATH’S unbeaten record alongside Lionel Messi, paired with a string of questionable calls through Argentina’s knockout run, has reignited “fixed World Cup” claims ahead of the semifinal against England on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
FIFA appointed the American official and a wave of conspiracy theories was set off with fans questioning whether the governing body is smoothening Lionel Messi’s path to a possible final. The decision lands in an already simmering complaints about officiating in Argentina’s favour, and it has turned attention away from the pitch and onto the man in the middle before a ball has even been kicked.
Referee Elfath’s history with Messi is the main highlight of the story. He served as the fourth official in the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, a match Argentina won on penalties after Messi scored twice, this was the game in which most of the penalties were awarded in a World Cup final. Since Messi’s arrival in American league MLS, where he joined Inter Miami, Elfath has also overseen matches involving the club, including its 2023 Leagues Cup final win over Nashville, and fans online have pointed out that Inter Miami has never lost under his officiating since Messi arrived. He was additionally the referee for the 2022 MLS Cup and this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup final. In this tournament alone, Ismail Elfath took charge of three matches and already issued 7 yellow cards and 1 red card.
None of this proves wrongdoing, and outlets covering the story have been careful to note that “Messi’s favourite referee” is a media label rather than an evidence. FIFA’s chief refereeing officer, Pierluigi Collina, has firmly rejected any suggestion of bias, he also insisted that the officials have operated independently of outside pressure. But the timing of the appointment and arriving complaints have created major buzz around the online platform.
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The Elfath appointment doesn’t exist alone but follows a run of incidents through Argentina’s knockout matches that critics have cited as incidents of a pattern, it has brought back the infamous nickname “VARgentina.” Egypt’s side were the loudest after their round exit, with a player and the head coach both publicly alleging the result had been manipulated. Switzerland followed with their own complaints after a quarter-final loss to Argentina, in which Embolo was sent off under a little-used mistaken identity rule following a second yellow card for simulation. A decision manager Murat Yakin said that the incident had ruined the contest for his side.
On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Argentina is set to face England and fans have already raised alarming concerns about the match, claiming that the previous encounters with La Albaceleste have created some questionable official decisions and it could go the same way around for England too. “Already Rigged” or “FIFA favouring Messi” or “England already lost before facing Argentina” are some of the labels tagged online before the Semifinal contest between the two. Few creators are bringing history and statistics involving Messi and Referee Elfath to prove the evidence that show that Messi is being “favoured” again. The Three Lions are already in panic mode after FIFA appointed the referee for the match. Critics pointed out previous VAR controversies, while it is already confirmed that FIFA appoints their officials for the match after going through few normal procedures. But the ongoing controversies around refereeing decisions have made this matter to not go unseen. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham will look forward to a challenge against Messi’s Argentina. Regardless of the outcome, every major decision will be under surveillance as FIFA is yet again under a spotlight.
(Edited By Harsh Pandey)
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