FIFA Refereeing Chief Rejects Bias Claims After Argentina's Controversial Win Over Egypt

Published 10 July 2026 · sports

FIFA Refereeing Chief Rejects Bias Claims After Argentina's Controversial Win Over Egypt Published By, Last Updated: July 10, 2026, 15:29 IST FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi

FIFA Refereeing Chief Rejects Bias Claims After Argentina's Controversial Win Over Egypt Published By, Last Updated: July 10, 2026, 15:29 IST FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has defended the officials involved in Argentina's win over Egypt, insisting referees acted independently despite allegations of bias. Rapid Read (Credit: AP) FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has firmly defended the officials who oversaw Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup round of 16, rejecting suggestions of bias and insisting that match officials operate with complete independence. The controversy erupted after Argentina recovered from 2-0 down to snatch victory through Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time winner, a result that ended Egypt’s World Cup campaign and sparked a furious reaction from the African nation’s camp. Speaking in an interview published on FIFA’s official website, Collina acknowledged that refereeing decisions will always be debated but drew a clear line when it came to questioning the integrity of officials. “Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport," Collina said.

“Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials. Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president (Gianni Infantino)." Collina also warned that baseless accusations can have serious consequences, saying such claims risk exposing referees and even their families to abuse and threats. Egypt Questioned Key Decisions Egypt were left frustrated by several pivotal moments during the match. Head coach Hossam Hassan suggested after the defeat that there may have been pressure on the referee to keep Argentina in the tournament, while the Egyptian Football Association said “several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game." Among the biggest flashpoints was Mostafa Zico’s second-half goal, which was ruled out after a VAR review. Egypt argued the decision was based on a non-existent foul in the build-up, while they also felt Mohamed Salah should have been awarded a free-kick after being challenged moments before Argentina launched the move that led to Fernandez’s winner.

Collina Backs VAR Decisions Collina stood by both calls. He explained that VAR correctly advised the referee to disallow Zico’s goal after identifying a foul by Marwan Attia on Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez during the attacking possession phase. “We believe that a foul is a foul," Collina said. “Regardless of whether the foul appears ‘obvious’, if the referee did not see it on the field of play, the VAR can intervene." He also defended the decision not to award Egypt a penalty before Argentina’s decisive goal, saying both the referee and VAR concluded that the contact between Salah and Julian Alvarez amounted to “normal football contact." “Stepping on an opponent’s foot is a foul, whereas a defender who touches the ball first and then makes normal football contact has not committed a foul," he explained. While admitting that some refereeing decisions will always involve an element of subjectivity, Collina said FIFA remained satisfied with the way VAR protocols had been applied throughout the tournament.