While the FIFA World Cup semifinal between England and Argentina has fans excited for reasons both soccer and history related, the matchup means a premature end for one of the best officials at the tournament.
Premier League referee Michael Oliver, along with fellow countryman Anthony Taylor, will not be permitted to officiate the semifinal thanks to England punching their ticket to the final four of the 2026 World Cup.
Whether the Three Lions advance to the finals or not is a moot point as well, as Oliver and Taylor’s World Cup journey has come to an end because of something out of their control.
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Referees are forbidden from officiating a match involving their home country, and, because they cannot be assigned to a match that has a direct consequence for their home country in the next round, the two Englishmen are exempt from officiating the Spain and France semifinal as well.
For Oliver, the ban means missing out on a massive payday, as referees who made it through the entire tournament would be in line to make off with a sum north of $100,000 with bonuses added for officiating matches in the final stages of the World Cup.
Oliver has officiated four matches at this year’s World Cup, including his most recent fixture being the Spain vs. Belgium quarterfinal.
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England’s opponent adds a little extra gasoline to the fire as well, given the geopolitical implications between the two nations stemming from the Falklands War of the early 1980s.
Though the conflict is over four decades old, the subject is a touchy one whenever England and Argentina have taken the pitch for the last 40-plus years.
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Between that and the controversial 1986 World Cup quarterfinal, when Argentina’s Diego Maradona led his country past England with his “Hand of God” goal, the two countries will look to write the next chapter in their unlikely rivalry on Wednesday afternoon.