Italian referee Marco Di Bello is the VAR for this evening’s World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina, with Maurizio Mariani the fourth official.
The game kicked off in Atlanta at 20.00 UK time (21.00 CEST).
The winners will go on to face Spain in the Final in New Jersey on Sunday, while the losers will take on France for the bronze medal on Saturday.
Much was made of the choice of officials for the semi-finals in this tournament, with France’s Didier Deschamps criticising the appointment of Ivan Barton from El Salvador.
The pick for the second semi-final was no less obscure, Ismail Elfath originally from Morocco, but nationalised US citizen.
Italian experience with Di Bello and Mariani
There is more experience off the field, as Italian fourth official Mariani is tasked with keeping things calm on the touchline between Thomas Tuchel and Lionel Scaloni.
In the VAR booth is Di Bello, who could well be called into action, considering the tense and scrappy history between these football nations.
Di Bello turned 45 on Sunday and has officiated 189 Serie A games, 75 in Serie B and 11 in the Coppa Italia.
He was always one for discipline, flashing 822 yellow cards during his 189 Serie A matches, 31 straight red cards, and a further 17 dismissals due to double bookings.
Di Bello became an international referee in 2018 and was chosen to officiate the Final of the Cyprus Cup in May 2022.
He was a VAR at EURO 2020 and has been a FIFA Video Match Official since January 2021.
Di Bello was suspended for a month in 2024 after a chaotic Serie A match between Lazio and Milan that saw three red cards.
