Ismail Elfath, of Austin, has refereed more matches at top levels than any other American soccer referee, according to the story. This year he became the first to lead an all-American referee crew in a FIFA World Cup semifinal. He is now leaving refereeing to give back to the city and its people.
Elfath's assignments include the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, the Tokyo Olympics, Copa America and the CONCACAF Champions Cup. He has also refereed in the top leagues in Saudi Arabia and Japan and in more than 200 Major League Soccer matches. Forbes magazine calls him a U.S. soccer all-time great.
Elfath grew up in Casablanca, Morocco, and moved to Austin in January 2001 at age 18 with $200. He said Zilker Park and the campus mosque helped him adjust. He later studied mechanical engineering at the University of Texas while working nights at a hotel. He currently serves as chief revenue officer at the technology company Brightfin. He said he is leaving refereeing because he believes he has achieved what he set out to do.