Egypt Lodges Official Complaint with FIFA Over Referee’s Performance in World Cup Match

The Egyptian Football Federation has submitted an official complaint to FIFA, demanding an investigation into the officiating of French referee François Letexier during their World Cup knockout stage match against Argentina. Egypt was eliminated from the tournament following a 3-2 defeat, and the federation believes key decisions by Letexier significantly influenced the outcome.

Egyptian media reports indicate that the complaint centers on two specific incidents. The first involves a goal disallowed for Egypt, attributed to a prior foul by Marwan Attia on Mostafa Ziko. The second point of contention is an alleged foul on Egyptian star Mohamed Salah during the build-up to Argentina’s decisive goal, scored by Enzo Fernandez. Egypt claims this incident was not reviewed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

Por que importa

Tensions reportedly escalated towards the end of the match, leading to the expulsion of a member of the Egyptian technical staff.

Post-match reactions from the Egyptian camp were highly critical. Head coach Hossam Hassan expressed his disappointment, stating, “We were the better team. What happened was neither fair nor just. A goal was disallowed without explanation, and we were penalized at decisive moments.” Hassan further fueled the controversy by suggesting that preferential treatment might have been given to Argentina, implying a desire to keep the defending champions in the tournament. “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the running, perhaps they wanted Messi to continue the tournament. Argentina received support in every aspect. This is a victory they did not deserve,” he added. The coach concluded by stating he would no longer follow the competition upon returning home due to a perceived lack of justice.

Contexto

Forward Mostafa Ziko echoed these sentiments in a statement to the BBC, asserting, “The referee was not impartial. The injustice was evident, and this tournament already seems decided.”

The Egyptian federation, through official Hany Abo Rida, has not only requested an investigation but also asked FIFA to bar Letexier and his assistants from officiating further matches in the World Cup. They contend that the referees’ errors directly impacted Argentina’s progression to the quarter-finals.

Key facts

This development is significant for football fans as it highlights the intense scrutiny referees face in major international tournaments and the formal processes available to national federations when they believe officiating has been subpar. Such complaints can lead to reviews of refereeing standards and potentially impact future assignments.

Source: TuttoMercatoWeb – https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/mondiali-2026/egitto-chiede-fifa-indagine-letexier-non-arbitrare-mondiale-2251514