FIFA has sent home Argentina's leading on-field referees, Facundo Tello, Yael Falcón Pérez, and Darío Herrera, as well as their English counterparts Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor, from the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Their departure means they will play no further role in officiating the semi-finals or the final due to FIFA's strict neutrality rules, which prohibit referees from officiating matches involving their own country.
With Argentina having advanced to the semi-finals to face England, the rules not only disqualify the Argentine trio from that match but also prevent them from taking charge of the other semi-final and the final under FIFA's "direct next-round consequence" rule.
In addition, the long-standing geopolitical sensitivities surrounding the 1982 Falklands War also influence FIFA's referee appointments. As a result, Argentine referees are prohibited from officiating matches involving England, ruling them out of the final if the Three Lions progress.
The rules have also led to the departure of Argentina's entire officiating delegation. In addition to the three referees, assistant referees Juan Pablo Belatti, Gabriel Chade, Maximiliano Del Yesso, Facundo Rodríguez, and Cristian Navarro, along with video assistant referee (VAR) Hernán Mastrángelo, have also been sent home.
Mirroring the fate of the South American officials, England's match officials have also seen their World Cup campaigns come to an end. With England reaching the semi-finals, Premier League referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor have been sent home under the same neutrality and geopolitical guidelines.
Even if England were to lose to Argentina in the semi-final, Oliver and Taylor would still be ineligible to officiate the World Cup final. FIFA's geopolitical policies prohibit English officials from overseeing matches involving Argentina, meaning both countries' refereeing teams will watch the remainder of the tournament from home.