Moroccan-born Ismail Elfath retires after officiating football’s biggest stages

Moroccan-American referee Ismail Elfath has announced his retirement from professional officiating after taking charge of his final match in Major League Soccer on Sunday.

Elfath brought his career to an end following Austin FC’s 4-1 defeat to Nashville SC in Texas, his home state, closing a distinguished chapter in domestic and international football refereeing.

The experienced official built a reputation as one of North America’s leading referees, earning appointments at major international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup and continental competitions.

Elfath reflects on international ambitions

Speaking to USA TODAY Sports on Sunday, Elfath recalled the ambition that guided his international refereeing career from its early stages.

“The standard that I set for myself when I started my international referee career in 2016 is that I want to be the best in the world, and I want to go to tournaments and win them,” Elfath said.

He also explained how referees measure success at major tournaments.

“In refereeing, you win tournaments by doing finals and semifinals, which is something that male American referees have not been able to do,” he added.

A career on football’s biggest stages

Elfath’s career featured several high-profile appointments at the highest levels of the game.

One of his most notable assignments came at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he served as the fourth official for the final.

He also refereed the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup final before taking charge of the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Those appointments highlighted his standing in international football and brought years of officiating at major competitions to a close.

Elfath’s final MLS assignment, the match between Austin FC and Nashville SC, marked the end of a career spanning domestic football and some of the sport’s most prominent international events.