The 2026 World Cup Thread

[Balls2U]

France hong gan liao! Now I just wish that Spain will eliminate Argentina or England in the Finals.

 

[glockman]

I believe Spain will win by 2 goals.

 

[A Singaporean]

You don't need niggers to win but must have the right genes.

 

[DaoMa]

Messi's lucky charm? Elfath to ref England v Argentina​

Image source,Getty Images
Image caption,
Ismail Elfath sent off Uruguay midfielder Agustin Canobbio in their defeat against Spain

• • Published
    14 July 2026, 13:42 BST

Updated 8 hours ago

Ismail Elfath, who has twice officiated matches in which Lionel Messi has won trophies, will referee England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina.

The 44-year-old has taken charge of group games between Japan and the Netherlands and Uruguay versus Spain at this tournament, as well as Norway's last-16 victory over five-time winners Brazil.

He has issued six yellow cards and shown Uruguay midfielder Agustin Canobbio a straight red card for a high challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi.

After he was dismissed, Canobbio confronted the referee and grabbed his shirt.

The game in Atlanta on Wednesday (20:00 BST) will be shown live on BBC One.

Elfath's fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins will be assistant referees, while Italian Maurizio Mariani is the fourth official.

Elfath was the fourth official for Argentina's 2022 World Cup final win over France and was the referee when Messi won his first trophy for Inter Miami - a penalty shootout win against Nashville SC in the 2023 Leagues Cup final.

He has officiated in Major League Soccer since 2012 and has twice won MLS referee of the year.

Originally from Morocco, Elfath moved to America as an 18-year-old after winning a US government-backed diversity visa lottery.

Meanwhile, England's Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor have been ruled out of contention to referee the World Cup final because of Fifa regulations around conflict of interest.

Referees cannot take charge of matches involving their own country, but English and Argentine officials also cannot referee games involving the two nations because of their political rivalry, in part because of the Falklands conflict in 1982.

Argentine referee Facundo Tello is out of contention for the same reason, with all three officials also ineligible for the third-place play-off as it is guaranteed to involve one of the teams.

The regulations also ruled Taylor out of refereeing the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France.

 

[jsctan]

Does it mean Argentina will sail through the finals?

 

[DaoMa]

Does it mean Argentina will sail through the finals?

Hopefully not...

 

[Sinkiesuk]

Yeah man like I say Spain odds good to gamble. Mbappe over rated. Maybe kena bribe not to perform well.

 

[Sinkiesuk]

This one hard to guess sia. The previous meeting between mostly controversial. England won them by Owen diving for penalty wc 2002 now got var confimed will get yellow card. Wc 98 both team dive for penalty and given then sol Campbell goal shld have stood. Then handball goal given at wc 86....

 

[rotiprata]

brazil...france... 1 by 1 is collapsing, will argentina be next?

 

[empathizerofeatshitndie]

i haf a sneaky feeling iz a eng-fra final.

n den, who win ? ...

of coz iz ze french…
天下武功 唯快不破

Reminds me of:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Leung
in:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_Hustle

youtube.com/watch?v=Xby6N8jV3pc


And here's the Cantonese version:
youtube.com/watch?v=a6evP6mSoec


youtube.com/watch?v=DSp7Cx9P01Y

 

[VanDick]

Luca Digne looked like he was being bribed to giveaway a penalty. The manner in which he kicked at Yamal was so nonchalant it was almost laughable. He was just not interested in the game.

 

[laksaboy]

I want a Spain vs Argentina. A final with the fewest or no niggers. And both sides technically gifted.

Also, I want to see the English media crucify Tuchel, it always does that against non-English managers. It happened with Fabio Capello.

 

[DaoMa]

Luca Digne looked like he was being bribed to giveaway a penalty. The manner in which he kicked at Yamal was so nonchalant it was almost laughable. He was just not interested in the game.

I think he never see Yamal behind him...his eyes was on the ball in the air...

 

[Ah Max]

Reminds me of:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Leung
in:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_Hustle

youtube.com/watch?v=Xby6N8jV3pc


And here's the Cantonese version:
youtube.com/watch?v=a6evP6mSoec

quite obvious tat ze french didn’t turn up 4 ze match.

will jude turn up 4 tonite’s game?

n enuff of oasis …

 

[Sinkiesuk]

England better don't let Argentina score first if they score first, they confirmed will park bus like what they did to swiss before swiss equalize. Swiss not a strong team but they still park bus after one goal. Overall, Argentina not very good still untested against big team so far.

 

[True Believer]

England better don't let Argentina score first if they score first, they confirmed will park bus like what they did to swiss before swiss equalize. Swiss not a strong team but they still park bus after one goal. Overall, Argentina not very good still untested against big team so far.

I hope that FIFA has instructed the match officials not to continue to favour Argentina.

 

[Sinkiesuk]

I hope that FIFA has instructed the match officials not to continue to favour Argentina.

Hmm... So far I saw the decision made by the ref is backed by the var for Argentina so dunno why so many kb. The red card decision against the swiss striker abit harsh but the thing is that his intention is to let the opponent to have yellow card or second yellow card. So if the ref never gave yellow card wrongly to the Argentina player then he wouldn't have sent the swiss striker off.

As for England vs Norway the gk goal kick also suspicious of kena hitting by some wiring that lead to England equalizer. The thing the wiring shld be placed at the spectators area instead in pitch area where the ball can hit.

Nevertheless, both team wanna look for penalty because is quite phycologically contexted.

 

[THE_CHANSTER]

I hope that FIFA has instructed the match officials not to continue to favour Argentina.

Argentina are beatable but I have concerns about the impartiality of this ref.

 

[Baimi]

 

[Baimi]

this betting slip is 凶多吉少