World Cup 2026: Egypt want officials kicked out after defeat by Argentina

World Cup 2026: Egypt want officials kicked out after defeat by Argentina

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has formally requested that Fifa remove the officiating crew from the 2026 World Cup following a controversial 3-2 last-16 defeat to Argentina. In a statement posted on social media, the federation demanded the "exclusion of the referee and the entire crew" and alleged a "crime of discrimination" against the Egyptian national team.

The dispute centers on the performance of French referee Francois Letexier and the video assistant referee (VAR) team during the match held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. According to the EFA, the federation has lodged a complaint seeking an investigation into "double standards" and "blatant errors," specifically criticizing the officials for "insisting on not reviewing some of the footage."

The match saw Egypt take a 2-0 lead, putting them on the verge of their first-ever quarter-final appearance. However, Argentina scored three unanswered goals to secure the victory. The comeback was capped by an Enzo Fernandez header in stoppage time.

Controversial Decisions

Tensions peaked in the second half when a goal by Mostafa Ziko was overturned by VAR. The decision was based on a foul by Egypt midfielder Marwan Attia, who was penalized for stepping on the foot of Lisandro Martinez at the start of the move. While some observers, including Fox Sports rules expert Dr. Joe Machnik, agreed with the call, Egyptian officials and players disagreed.

Egypt also contested a decision in the buildup to Argentina's winning goal, claiming Mohamed Salah was fouled in the penalty area seconds before the Albiceleste counter-attacked. The EFA stated that several key incidents raised "profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions."

The fallout was immediate and visceral. Mostafa Ziko, who scored Egypt's second goal, told Canadian broadcaster TSN and other outlets that the tournament had been fixed and that the cup is directed towards Argentina.

"It was a rigged game. It wasn’t our fault. That referee… it seems like this match was rigged. We were winning 2-0, and he kept coming at us. Congratulations to Argentina on another World Cup, it seems."

Mostafa Ziko, Egypt player, via Mirror

Management Outrage

Egypt manager Hossam Hassan expressed similar sentiments, stating that his team "suffered injustice" and was "treated unfairly." Hassan suggested the officiating may have been influenced by a desire to keep the reigning world champions and Lionel Messi in the competition.

"Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,"

Hassan's frustration extended beyond the officiating. He criticized the 12pm ET kick-off time, stating, Whoever schedules these matches is someone who has never played football. The manager further declared that he would never watch the World Cup again, because there’s no justice in this competition.

Tournament Context

Despite the controversy, Argentina advances to the quarter-finals. Lionel Messi continues to lead the Golden Boot race with 8 goals, having provided an assist in the 79th minute and scoring the equalizer in the 83rd minute against Egypt.

The fallout from the match coincides with broader accusations of bias. Some fans have accused Fifa of "rigging" the tournament after the announcement that the upcoming quarter-final between France and Morocco will be handled by an all-Argentinian officiating team. This team includes referee Facundo Tello, assistants Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade, fourth official Dario Herrera, and reserve assistant Cristian Navarro.

Argentina is scheduled to play Switzerland in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Kansas City.