This year’s best referee in the American top-flight league, Ismail Elfath, has been appointed to officiate Ghana’s opening 2022 World Cup clash with Portugal of on Thursday.
The 40-year-old is one of the 28 debutant referees in the world championship being played in the Asian state of Qatar.
The top rated match official will referee the Black Stars first match of the tournament in Group H.
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He will be assisted on the field by compatriots Kyle Atkins and Corey Parker, while French official Stephanie Frappart will perform the duties of fourth official.
American official Armando Villarreal will be the video referee.
Elfath has no previous offociating record with the two senior national teams playing in football’s showpiece event.
However at the junior level he has a connection with the Portuguese colours which concerns a game of the country U20 side at the 2019 World Cup in Poland.
The American referee directed the group stage match with Argentina, which Portugal lost 2-0.
That U20 Portugal national team had Diogo Costa, Diogo Dalot and Rafael Leao, who are now playing in the senior national team at the 2022 World Cup.
International referee since 2016, Elfath, who was elected best referee in the last edition of Major League Soccer (MLS).
This means he is a top official with the necessary experience to provide fairness in the match between the Black Stars and Portugal.
Match officials designations
@FIFAWorldCup
– Group H – 24 November 2022, 10a cst FOX
Ras Abu Aboud Stadium
POR???GHA??
Referee: Ismael ELFATH ??
AR 1: Kyle ATKINS ??
AR 2: Corey PARKER ??
4th: Stéphanie FRAPPART ??
VAR: Armando VILLARREAL ??
AVAR: Drew FISCHER ??
Offside VAR: Alessandro GIALLATINI ??
Support VAR: Shaun EVANS ??
The match will be played on Thursday at 1600GMT at Stadium 974, in Doha, in a Group H match for the 2022 Mundial.
Last Updated on April 2, 2025 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
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