English referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor will not be able to officiate any match involving the Argentine national team in the 2026 World Cup, despite being among the tournament's top referees, due to political and geopolitical considerations related to the legacy of the Falklands War.

According to The Athletic, Oliver will officiate the quarterfinal match between Spain and Belgium, which will be his seventh of the tournament, the most matches officiated by an English referee in a single World Cup edition. However, his chances of refereeing the final appear very slim.

This is because FIFA regulations prevent referees from officiating matches of their own national teams to maintain neutrality and avoid conflicts of interest. However, for English referees, the ban also extends to Argentina's matches due to the historical dispute between the two countries over the Falkland Islands.

Legacy of the Falklands War

The Falklands War broke out in 1982 and lasted 74 days between the United Kingdom and Argentina, ending with the surrender of Argentine forces and the islands returning to British control.

The war resulted in the deaths of 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British soldiers, and three islanders. The issue remains a sensitive matter in Argentina, with President Javier Milei continually reaffirming his country's claim to sovereignty over the islands.

How does FIFA select referees?

FIFA assigns referees for each match individually, taking into account a range of factors, including geopolitical considerations.

Under this policy, a referee from a country with political or historical disputes with another country is not assigned to officiate a match involving that national team, to avoid any suspicion of bias or conflict of interest.

This is not limited to England and Argentina; the same rule can apply to other disputes, such as not assigning matches involving Iran to referees from the United States, or vice versa.

Not only national team matches

These criteria also extend to matches that could directly affect the progress of the referee's own national team in the tournament.

For this reason, English referees were not candidates to officiate any match in England's group during the group stage, and they will not be candidates to officiate the Switzerland vs. Argentina quarterfinal, because the winner could face England in the semi-finals if England gets past Norway.

A principle also applied in club tournaments

The same idea applies in club competitions. In the English Premier League, referees are prohibited from officiating matches of clubs from their own region or with which they have connections that could raise suspicion.

That is why Michael Oliver does not officiate Newcastle United or Sunderland matches, as he is from northeast England.

The final decision

The referee appointments are overseen by a team led by Pierluigi Collina, who has the final say in selecting officiating crews for each match, considering technical, geographical, and political aspects to ensure the highest levels of integrity and impartiality in the tournament.