World Cup 2026: Referee Ismail Elfath hails ‘heroic’ Cape Verde as tournament’s most entertaining team

American referee Ismail Elfath, who took charge of four matches at the 2026 World Cup including the blockbuster semi‐final between Argentina and England, has described Cape Verde as the most enjoyable team to watch at the tournament.

Elfath, a US official of Moroccan origin, reflected on his World Cup experience and the scrutiny faced by referees in comments to Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah.

He also backed the overall standard of officiating at the tournament, which ended with Spain being crowned world champions for a second time after a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final, sealed by a goal from Ferran Torres.

‘One mistake makes people forget everything’

Addressing the debate around refereeing decisions at the 2026 World Cup, Elfath likened the role of the referee to that of a goalkeeper, where a single error can overshadow an otherwise flawless performance.

He said: “الاخطاء التحكيمية في كاس العالم؟ الحكم مثل حارس المرمى، قد يقدم مباراة مثالية طوال 90 دقيقة، لكن هفوة واحدة تجعل الجميع ينسى كل ما قدمه، اعتقد ان التحكيم في كاس العالم كان جيدا، وكانت هناك بعض الحالات التي تستحق النقاش، وهذا امر طبيعي في لعبة تعتمد على قرارات تقديرية، الاهم ان نستمر في التطوير وان نتعامل مع الاخطاء بواقعية وموضوعية”.

Translated, Elfath argued that while some decisions will always provoke discussion in a sport built on subjective calls, the key is constant improvement and a realistic, objective handling of mistakes.

The 2026 tournament, co-hosted across North America, saw Elfath appointed to several high-profile fixtures, culminating in the semi-final clash between Argentina and England – one of the showcase matches of the competition.

Cape Verde praised for brave, attacking football

Away from the spotlight on refereeing, Elfath stressed that he remains a football fan first and foremost – and singled out Cape Verde as his favourite side to watch in 2026.

Responding to a question about the most entertaining team at the World Cup, he said: “انا مشجع لكرة القدم قبل ان اكون حكما، واكثر منتخب استمتعت بمشاهدته كان منتخب كاب فيردي، الذي قدم مباريات بطولية ولعب بشجاعة، ولم يعتمد على الدفاع، بل هاجم وسجل وصنع المتعة، وهذا هو جوهر كرة القدم”.

In English, he explained that Cape Verde produced “heroic” performances, played with courage and refused to sit back defensively, instead choosing to attack, score and entertain – which he described as the essence of football.

Cape Verde’s bold style drew widespread neutral support during the expanded World Cup, where smaller nations were given a greater platform on the global stage.

Spain clinch second World Cup crown

The tournament ultimately ended in glory for Spain, who defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final to reclaim the World Cup for the first time since their 2010 triumph in South Africa.

Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the match to secure Spain’s second world title, adding a new generation of Spanish champions to the team that dominated world football more than a decade earlier.

Spain’s victory capped a World Cup marked by tactical diversity, emerging nations such as Cape Verde catching the eye, and intense discussion around refereeing standards and the use of technology – debates in which figures like Elfath have played a central role.