As Argentina sealed their berth in the last eight, English referees are unlikely to officiate the FIFA World Cup final this year. Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor, having decorated resumes, could be the front-runners to be appointed for the coveted summit showdown. But now that Argentina or England could play the final, FIFA would need to look for other options. Generally, referees can’t cover games that involve their own countries. However, for English officials, there are more limitations as they can’t also take charge of Argentina’s matches due to long-standing political tensions.
Argentina, after their roaring comeback against Egypt, will face Switzerland in the quarter-final, while England play Norway. Oliver and Taylor would be considered for the final only if both Argentina and England get knocked out before the semi-finals.
FIFA Appointment Rules For Match Referees
The football governing body tries to avoid appointments that could lead to political controversy. English referees are not allowed to feature in games involving Argentina due to the political history between the South American nation and the United Kingdom that stemmed from the 1982 Falklands War.
For the same reason, Taylor, who was expected to officiate the 2022 World Cup final, was ruled out after Argentina qualified. An identical situation could unfold this year as well.
The Falklands conflict marks a dark chapter in history, leading to the deaths of 649 members of the Argentine military, 255 members of the British military, and three Falkland Islanders. It finally came to an end after 74 days when Argentines surrendered. Decades have passed, but many things are yet to be settled between the two countries.
How many matches have Oliver and Taylor overseen in this World Cup?
The two have officiated three World Cup games each so far. Oliver was in charge of two group-stage fixtures and a Round of 16 game. He will next take the field for the quarter-final between Spain and Belgium. Meanwhile, Taylor had officiated the Portugal vs Spain big-ticket clash after two group games.
