FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has strongly defended the match officials who oversaw Argentina's dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, rejecting allegations that the refereeing team was influenced in favour of the South American champions.
Collina Rejects Unfounded Allegations
Speaking in an interview published by FIFA on Thursday, Collina said criticism of refereeing decisions is a natural part of football but insisted there was no basis for questioning the integrity or independence of World Cup officials. “Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport,” Collina said, stressing that FIFA referees operate independently and are not influenced by any individual, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Collina warned that baseless accusations can have serious consequences, exposing referees and their families to abuse and threats. The controversy erupted after Egypt surrendered a two-goal lead before Enzo Fernández struck a stoppage-time winner to send Argentina into the quarter-finals.
Egypt's Complaints Over Key Decisions
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan and the Egyptian Football Association questioned several key decisions, claiming they significantly affected the outcome. Among the disputed incidents was Mostafa Zico's disallowed second-half goal, which Egypt argued was incorrectly ruled out, as well as a challenge involving Mohamed Salah moments before Argentina's decisive counterattack.
Collina explained that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) correctly intervened after identifying a foul by Marwan Attia on Lisandro Martínez during the attacking phase, making the goal invalid under FIFA's Laws of the Game. He also backed the decision not to award Egypt a penalty, saying both the referee and VAR agreed the contact involving Salah was normal football contact rather than a foul.
FIFA Satisfied with VAR Application
While acknowledging that some decisions remain subjective, Collina said FIFA was satisfied with the consistent application of VAR protocols throughout the tournament. The match saw Argentina come from 2-0 down to win 3-2, with Fernández scoring the winner in stoppage time.
