Michael Oliver will referee the World Cup quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium, his seventh match of the tournament. However, neither he nor his colleague Anthony Taylor can officiate a World Cup final if the two sides are England or Argentina.

FIFA does not allow referees to officiate matches involving their own countries to avoid conflicts of interest. English referees are also barred from officiating Argentina matches due to the legacy of the 1982 Falklands War between the United Kingdom and Argentina.

The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about 482.8 kilometers east of the Argentine coast. They are home to a population of approximately 3,660 people, most of whom are of British descent.

The islands are a self-governing British Overseas Territory, with its capital being Stanley. The local economy relies heavily on fishing and sheep farming. The islands do not have a president; instead, they are governed by a local executive authority and an elected Legislative Assembly with full self-government, under the leadership of Chief Executive Andrea Clausen and Governor Colin Martin-Reynolds.

The island group is subject to an ongoing dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina. The Europeans maintain their sovereignty, asserting their administration of the islands has been continuous since 1833, while Argentina, which calls them 'Las Malvinas', claims rights inherited from the Spanish Empire in the early 19th century.

The dispute escalated into a 74-day military conflict in 1982, known as the Falklands War, which ended with Argentina's surrender, returning the islands to British control. During the war, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel, and 3 Falkland Islanders were killed. The issue remains politically sensitive, with Argentina continuing to claim sovereignty over the islands.

As a result, Oliver and Taylor can only be considered for the World Cup final if Norway or Switzerland reach the final instead of England or Argentina. Similarly, Anthony Taylor was unable to officiate the 2022 World Cup final after Argentina qualified.

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