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 linked to the legacy of the Falklands War.

According to The Athletic, Oliver will officiate the quarterfinal match between Spain and Belgium, making it his seventh match of the tournament, the most matches ever managed by an English referee in a single World Cup. However, his chances of refereeing the final seem 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. But for English referees, the ban also extends to matches involving Argentina due to the historic 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 left 649 Argentine soldiers and 255 British soldiers dead, plus three islanders. The issue remains a sensitive matter in Argentina, where President Javier Milei constantly reaffirms 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 a match involving that nation, to avoid any suspicion of bias or conflict of interest.

It 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 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 quarterfinal, because the winner could face England in the semifinals if England beats Norway.

Principle also applied in club competitions

The same idea is used in club competitions. In the English Premier League, referees are banned from officiating matches of clubs from their home regions or with which they have connections that could raise suspicions.

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

Final decision

The appointment of referees is overseen by a team led by Pierluigi Collina, who has the final say in selecting refereeing crews for each match, taking into account technical, geographical, and political aspects to ensure the highest levels of integrity and impartiality in the tournament.