Ismail Elfath Leads First U.S.-Based Referee Crew at FIFA World Cup 2026 | OneFootball

FIFA World Cup 2026 is underway, and just as U.S. players are looking to make their country proud in the first tournament on home soil in 32 years, so are the U.S.-based referees who will be part of calling the 104 matches in this summer’s competition.

The first U.S. referees took the pitch at Dallas Stadium to officiate what many are calling one of the best matches of the tournament so far, the Group F contest between Netherlands and Japan on Sunday, June 14, which resulted in a 2-2 draw. Leading the crew was Ismail Elfath, a Moroccan-born Texan whose resume highlights matches all around the globe and at various levels of the game, including:

Elfath is one of eight U.S. Soccer referees to serve in this year’s tournament, a historic marker for already one of the most elite refereeing programs in the world. The 20-year veteran officiated four matches at FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, so when he found out he would return to the sport’s biggest competition four years later, he was elated.

“It was a dream come true – again,” he said. “I already had an amazing experience in Qatar in 2022, but after being 13 months with a double knee surgery, which took me very close to retirement, this second World Cup is so much sweeter.”

Elfath’s journey to refereeing began in 2005. He played competitively in amateur and local soccer clubs, including Austin Lighting in the league that is now called USL League Two. After that, he decided to strive for the next best seat in the house that would keep him close to the sport he loves. He soon discovered how much fun it was to perform the duties of a referee, and as a former athlete, the new pursuit satisfied his competitive nature.

His background as a former soccer player helped Elfath on his path to becoming one of the top officials in the world. Not only does being an official require studying the laws of the game and maintaining a high level of fitness, but referees must also be always on. In this year’s tournament, officiating crews only learn of their match assignments roughly 48 hours before kickoff. To be fully prepared for such a tight turnaround, referees like Elfath, for example, rely on routine. Those precious hours before emerging from the tunnel with both teams’ starting XIs are about alleviating the nerves as much as possible, as Elfath explains:

“Match week is a full week endeavor, but the last 48 hours are all about getting my body and mind to peak level readiness, meticulously planning every meal, doing match video clip analysis with my team and, not to forget, staying mentally balanced by having some down time.”

Based in Austin, Sunday's match in Dallas would be roughly a three-hour drive for Elfath’s family. Though, referees are used to traveling further distances to officiate matches. The extensive travel required of referees during a tournament as massive in scale as a FIFA World Cup can make time away from family a challenging sacrifice. As a father to three wonderful boys, Elfath likes to stay connected to his family during his preparations, calling his family “a refuge away from the spotlight.”

On his five-person crew for Sunday’s match, Elfath was joined by three more Americans – assistant referees Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins and fellow Texan Armando Villareal, who was the VAR. This group continued a storied tradition of American referees at the biggest sporting competition in the world. Prudencio “Pete” Garcia was the first official to represent U.S. Soccer in the 1950 FIFA World Cup. He served as a linesman in four matches, including the Third-Place Match between Sweden and Spain.

FIFA World Cup 2026 features 170 match officials from all around the world. The eight from the U.S. ties traditional football powers such as Brazil, England, France, Argentina and Mexico for the largest overall match official contingent at FIFA World Cup 2026 and exceeds other soccer giants such as Spain, Germany, Italy and Netherlands.

Even more impressive, three of the eight U.S. representatives are women.

The number of appointments this summer reflects the depth, quality and diversity of U.S. refereeing and demonstrates that American officials are among the most trusted and respected in the world. These appointments reflect not only the excellence of the individuals selected, but also the strength of the more than 135,000 referees across the United States whose dedication helps make achievements like this possible.

“I wish more soccer fans knew how much referees love the game,” Elfath said. “We are fans before we were referees. We prepare as much, or even more, than players. We’re devastated when we feel if we make a mistake, and we love nothing more than to work a match and not be noticed at all.”

Two Mexican officials completed Elfath’s crew for Sunday’s match in Dallas – Katia Garcia as Fourth Official and Sandra Ramirez, the reserve assistant referee. Both the U.S. and Mexico in place meant this crew was the first of the tournament represented wholly by the referees from the host nations.

The Netherlands-Japan officiating crew is a reminder of why soccer is called the “world’s most beautiful game.” Soccer brings the world together – not only the players who compete on the pitch and fans who watch from the stands and at viewing parties around the country, but also the referees who are responsible for facilitating the match. As a Muslim American, Elfath represents the beautiful fabric that forms soccer culture in United States, which has never been more on display than this year’s tournament. As a country of immigrants, full of diversity, passion, and work ethic, Elfath is an example of how the land of opportunity allows people to contribute to the game in a positive, productive way:

“There is no better platform to showcase how proud I am to represent the USA, my community and to make my country proud.”