The Egyptian Football Association issued a detailed statement that listed several key incidents raising serious concerns over the consistency and fairness of decisions throughout the match against Argentina. Egypt had built a 2-0 lead with Mostafa Ziko netting the second goal before the controversy erupted in the 58th minute when a VAR review disallowed what would have been a third strike. The association said the referee failed to appropriately deploy the Video Assistant Referee system on a foul call involving Marwan Attia and Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez, according to a report by The Associated Press.
FIFA chief of refereeing Pierluigi Collina responded with a statement that defended the match officials while acknowledging that constructive discussions about decisions form part of the sport. Collina stated that unfounded allegations have no place in football and noted that such claims may provoke reactions leading to threats against referees and their families. The FIFA assessment found that Attia clearly trod on the foot of Martínez, adding that a foul remains a foul regardless of whether it appears obvious on the field and that VAR can intervene when the referee misses it with no defined limit on distance or time from the goal.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan signaled an X shape with his arms after Argentina’s stoppage-time winner to indicate what he described as racial abuse directed at his team. Hassan told reporters that his side had fallen victim to a football establishment favoring Lionel Messi and Argentina during the dramatic comeback that saw three unanswered goals in 13 minutes. The coach and several players expressed disbelief at the sequence that overturned Egypt’s advantage after Messi’s assist to Cristian Romero in the 79th minute.
The EFA emphasized in its statement that defending the rights and interests of the Egyptian national team is not a matter that can be ignored, minimized or treated as secondary. It is a responsibility that we carry with full conviction and determination, the association added. A subsequent complaint from EFA president Hany Abou Rida, as reported across multiple outlets including ESPN, called on FIFA to investigate French referee Francois Letexier and remove his officiating team from the tournament.
The match represented one of the most notable comebacks in recent World Cup knockout stages with Argentina advancing despite trailing by two goals entering the final quarter. According to FIFA tournament statistics the 2026 edition has already recorded more than 20 VAR interventions across its expanded 48-team format, highlighting the technology’s growing role in high-stakes games. Egypt’s exit comes during its return to the global stage after missing several previous cycles, with the association now seeking formal review of the officiating that it says directly shaped the outcome.
Collina concluded that during a competition officials prefer not to focus on specific incidents yet maintained the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials cannot be questioned. The EFA statement noted support from independent experts who questioned the VAR recommendation on the Attia foul. Both organizations have stopped short of further public exchanges as the tournament progresses into subsequent rounds.
