The Egyptian Football Association has filed a formal complaint with FIFA following its team’s 3-2 defeat against Argentina. This World Cup Round of 16 match took place on 7 July 2026. The EFA specifically attacked the “improper use” of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system during the game at the Atlanta Stadium in the United States. Egyptian officials believe that several refereeing decisions directly changed the outcome of the match.
Egypt led the defending champions 2-0 with only 11 minutes of normal time remaining. Argentina then scored three goals in just 13 minutes to win the game. Consequently, the EFA issued a statement saying it cannot remain silent about the officiating. EFA President Hany Abo Rida filed the official complaint against French referee Francois Letexier and his assistants.
EFA Files Official Complaint to FIFA
The Egyptian federation is calling for a full investigation into the decisions made in the knockout game. EFA has also asked FIFA to remove Letexier and the entire refereeing team from the rest of the tournament. The EFA argued the referee played a decisive part in Argentina winning.
‘Cannot remain silent’: Egypt demands FIFA investigate World Cup referees https://t.co/ZIVYhkdUn6 #News
— The Right News, Right Now. (@BradPorcellato) July 9, 2026
In a statement on social media, the federation said the match lacked consistency and fairness. They said they are carrying the responsibility of protecting the rights of the national team with full conviction. The EFA said that many international football experts have commented on these controversial incidents.
The Disallowed Goal Controversy
The biggest point of conflict happened in the second half of the match. Egypt’s Mostafa Ziko appeared to score a goal that would have given Egypt a 3-0 lead. However, the referee used a VAR review to check the phase of play before the goal. The officials decided that Egypt’s Marwan Attia had fouled Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez roughly 20 seconds before the ball entered the net.
It was the turning point in the game. Many questioned why VAR went so far back to find a foul. Former England goalkeeper Rob Green stated that the foul was a full length of the pitch away from the goal. He argued that reviewing such a distant incident was not within the proper remit of VAR.
🚨🇦🇷 NEW: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says that Egypt were “robbed” in yesterday’s World Cup game against Argentina pic.twitter.com/bigWXCN04q
— Politics Global (@PolitlcsGlobal) July 8, 2026
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani also said in a conference that Egypt was robbed in Tuesday’s World Cup game against Argentina.
Pundit and Expert Reaction to Officiating
Several famous football figures have supported Egypt’s view of the refereeing. Former England captain Alan Shearer criticised the decision-making process on social media. He suggested that if the referee allows minimal contact in one area, he must do the same elsewhere. Meanwhile, former Arsenal striker Ian Wright pointed to a later incident where Mohamed Salah was tripped. Wright argued that if VAR pulled back play for Argentina, it should have done the same for Egypt.
🚨🗣️ Alan Shearer on the Egypt vs Argentina ROBBERY:
“Going back 90 meters to disallow one of the best goals of this World Cup for that ‘foul’… it’s pure BOLLOCKS!
These are fouls that the referees weren’t calling earlier in the competition!” pic.twitter.com/lNSTGAJzVC
— Salah Updates (@SalahUpdates) July 8, 2026
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also questioned the consistency of the technology. He stated that in the Premier League or La Liga, Ziko’s goal would likely have stood even after a review. However, former referee Chris Foy offered a different view. Foy argued that the decisions to disallow the goal and allow Argentina’s winner were technically correct according to the laws of the game.
Manager Hossam Hassan Announces Boycott
After the match, an emotional manager, Hossam Hassan, told reporters that Egypt was cheated. He claimed that the football establishment favoured Lionel Messi and Argentina because they wanted the superstar to stay in the tournament. Hassan stated that Egypt deserved to qualify and were the better team on the night.
Consequently, Hassan announced that he would personally boycott the rest of the 2026 World Cup. He promised that he would not watch any more matches because he felt there was no justice in the competition. He described the final result as far from what FIFA often preaches about fair play.
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