English referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor will not be able to officiate any match involving the Argentine national team at 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 Spain-Belgium match in the quarter-finals, making it his seventh game of the tournament, the highest number of matches an English referee has handled in a single World Cup. However, his chances of refereeing the final appear very slim.

This is because FIFA regulations prevent referees from officiating matches involving their national teams, to maintain neutrality and avoid conflicts of interest. But for English referees, the ban also extends to Argentina 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 return of the islands to British control.

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

How does FIFA select referees?

FIFA appoints referees for each match separately, 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 matches involving that 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 just national team matches

These criteria also extend to matches that could directly affect the progress of the referee's 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-Argentina quarter-final, because the winner could face England in the semi-final if England gets past Norway.

Principle also applied in club competitions

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

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

The final decision

A team led by Pierluigi Collina oversees the appointment of referees, with Collina having the final say in selecting officiating crews for each match, taking into account technical, geographical, and political aspects to ensure the highest standards of integrity and impartiality in the tournament.