World Cup 2026: Ismail Elfath appointed referee for Brazil vs Norway last-16 clash

FIFA has appointed American referee Ismail Elfath to officiate Sunday’s 2026 World Cup Round of 16 meeting between Brazil and Norway, entrusting one of CONCACAF’s most experienced officials with one of the tournament’s biggest knockout fixtures.

The match, scheduled for 8:00 PM GMT, will see the 44-year-old referee assisted by fellow Americans Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins as Brazil and Norway battle for a place in the quarter-finals.

Elfath’s appointment reflects FIFA’s continued confidence in an official who has built an impressive international résumé over the past decade.

Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Elfath moved to the United States at the age of 18 after being selected through the Diversity Visa programme.

He later settled in Austin, Texas, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering before pursuing a full-time career in football officiating.

His rise through the refereeing ranks began in Major League Soccer in 2012, and four years later he was added to FIFA’s international list of referees. Since then, he has established himself as one of the leading officials in the CONCACAF region.

Elfath has twice been recognised as Major League Soccer’s best referee, a distinction that has helped secure appointments at some of football’s biggest international competitions, including FIFA World Cups, Gold Cups and other major tournaments.

His selection for the Brazil-Norway encounter also keeps him among the officials trusted with the latter stages of the 2026 World Cup.

Before receiving this assignment, he had already overseen the group-stage matches between the Netherlands and Japan, which ended 2-2, and Spain’s 1-0 victory over Uruguay.

The experienced official also brings significant World Cup pedigree. At the 2022 tournament in Qatar, he refereed Brazil’s 1-0 defeat to Cameroon and later served as the fourth official for the final between Argentina and France.

Beyond the World Cup, Elfath officiated the 2019 FIFA Under-20 World Cup final, took part in the Tokyo Olympic Games and was involved in the first FIFA Video Assistant Referee (VAR) trials in 2016 as an assistant referee.

With Brazil and Norway preparing for a high-stakes knockout encounter, FIFA will rely on Elfath’s experience and composure to oversee a match where every decision could prove decisive in determining who advances to the quarter-finals.