Argentine referees sent home: Main on-field referees Facundo Tello, Yael Falcon Perez and Dario Herrera have been sent home from the World Cup .
Their departure means they will play no further part in officiating the semi-final or final matches of the tournament.
Strict neutrality rules: FIFA enforces strict rules regarding competitive impartiality, which dictate that referees are prohibited from officiating matches involving their own home nation.
Because Argentina has advanced to the semi-finals to face England , these rules not only disqualify the Argentine trio from refereeing that match, but also bar them from the other semi-final and the final due to the 'direct next-round consequence' rule.
Geopolitical factors and the Falklands War: The long-standing geopolitical sensitivities surrounding the 1982 Falklands War also play a direct role in FIFA's referee appointments.
