Rabat – Moroccan-American referee Ismail Elfath officially called time on his distinguished professional officiating career on Sunday.
Elfath blew his final whistle following a 4-1 Major League Soccer defeat for Austin FC against Nashville SC, bringing a memorable tenure across both domestic and international football to a close.
The retirement announcement followed the match in Texas, Elfath’s home state, marking the end of a remarkable era in American and international refereeing.
Throughout his career, he earned a reputation as one of North America’s premier officials, frequently selected to take the whistle in showpiece events, including the FIFA World Cup and major continental championships.
“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 told USA TODAY Sports in an interview Sunday.
“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.
Over the years, Elfath built an exceptional resume on football’s biggest stages.
Among his most high-profile appointments was serving as the fourth official during the historic 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
Elfath’s international career also included taking charge of the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup final, the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup, and the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup, capping off years of consistent performance at the pinnacle of global officiating.
