FIFA referee chief Pierluigi Collina defended match officials on July 9, 2026, following Egypt's allegations of bias during their 3-2 round of 16 loss to Argentina.
The 66-year-old Italian dismissed the accusations and emphasized the complete independence of the refereeing crew.
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Disputed Decisions in Egypt-Argentina Match
The dispute arose when referee François Letexier overturned Egypt's second goal after a VAR intervention for a foul in the buildup.
Egypt's frustration grew when Argentina's winning goal was allowed to stand despite an alleged foul on Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian football association filed an official complaint against Letexier.
In an interview on the official FIFA website, Collina acknowledged that refereeing decisions naturally draw scrutiny but strongly criticized any attempts to question the honesty of the officials.
"Constructive discussions about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded accusations have no place in our sport," Collina said.
He stressed that the integrity of the officiating team remains absolute and unyielding to outside pressures.
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"No one can question the integrity of the officials.
No one can simply claim that refereeing can be influenced, not even by the FIFA president," Collina added.
Egyptian national team coach Hossam Hassan directly questioned the fairness of the tournament organization after the match.
"It was a setup and everyone saw it," Hassan stated.
Hassan expressed his readiness to face any consequences for his outspoken criticism.
"I say what I think, regardless of the consequences. If they want Argentina to win so badly, why invite other teams to participate?"
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Hassan said.
