Egypt Protests FIFA Bias
Egypt Demands Independent FIFA Probe, Alleges Referee Bias After Controversial World Cup Defeat
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Key Points
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The Egyptian Football Association released a formal statement intensifying its stance, saying it would pursue 'all available measures under applicable regulations' to defend Egypt’s interests and may file a formal complaint with FIFA.
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Gohar Nabil, Egypt's Minister of Youth and Sports, described the officiating as 'clear refereeing injustice' and said bias in officiating directly contributed to Egypt’s elimination.
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Hossam Hassan said that a late penalty was not checked by the VAR and that Egypt's second goal was disallowed, arguing that the decisions reflected unfair treatment.
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NDTV reports that Egypt lodged an official protest alleging refereeing decisions unfairly influenced the outcome and called for a FIFA review under fair-play principles.
Egypt's 2026 World Cup run ended in stunning fashion on July 7, as Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit in the final 11 minutes to win 3-2 in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Now Egypt's football officials are demanding answers. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has filed a formal complaint with FIFA, calling the refereeing decisions "clear injustice" and vowing to pursue "all available measures under applicable regulations" Egyptian Streets.
Egypt led twice and had a goal disallowed by VAR in the 58th minute. A late penalty appeal in stoppage time went unreviewed. Seconds later, Enzo Fernández headed in Argentina's winner — recorded as the 3,000th goal in World Cup history. Coach Hossam Hassan did not hold back afterward: "We have been cheated unfairly today," he said NE Herald.
VAR Disallowance and the Missed Penalty That Sparked Outrage
The match had two flashpoints Egypt refuses to accept. First, in the 58th minute, referee François Letexier disallowed Mostafa Zico's goal after VAR flagged a foul on Lisandro Martínez in the buildup. Egypt scored again in the 67th minute to lead 2-0. Then, in the 90th minute, Egyptian midfielder Hamdy Fathy was pulled down inside the Argentine box. Letexier waved play on and did not call for a VAR check Egypt Today.
Argentina immediately broke forward. Fernández scored in the 93rd minute to complete the comeback. Zico called the match "rigged" in a live television interview. Hassan said the late penalty incident was "not even looked at" by VAR, arguing the inconsistency showed deliberate bias against Egypt NE Herald.
Egypt's Government and FA Escalate Accusations Against FIFA
The backlash moved beyond the pitch quickly. Gohar Nabil, Egypt's Minister of Youth and Sports, said the referee "would not allow Egypt to progress" and described the officiating as "clear refereeing injustice" Egypt Today. EFA President Hany Abo Rida filed a formal letter to FIFA demanding that Letexier and his officiating crew be removed from the rest of the tournament. The EFA called their decisions "double standards."
NDTV reported that Egypt lodged an official protest calling for a FIFA review under fair-play principles NDTV. Historically, FIFA has never overturned a match result due to a refereeing error. Egypt's push is seen mainly as a bid for public vindication and pressure on FIFA's refereeing committee.
Who Is François Letexier — and Why Egypt Questioned His Appointment
The French referee is no minor figure. Letexier handled the Euro 2024 final and was named the world's best male referee for 2024 by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. Yet Egypt's camp argued his appointment was compromised. Hassan suggested external pressure from Argentine officials influenced Letexier before the match even began Head Topics.
Independent analysts largely rejected the bias narrative. They pointed to Egypt's defensive collapse — dropping too deep in the final 15 minutes — as the chief tactical reason Argentina got back in the game. Still, most analysts agreed the non-award of the stoppage-time penalty was a genuinely controversial, match-altering call Egypt Today.
Egypt's Historic Run Ends, but Wider Questions About African Teams Remain
Before 2026, Egypt had never made it past the group stage in any of its three modern World Cup appearances. This run to the Round of 16 was already historic. Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir saved Messi's first-half penalty, making him only the fourth keeper to save two penalties in a single World Cup tournament. Messi still scored his 8th goal of 2026, bringing his career World Cup total to 21 Egyptian Streets.
The EFA's complaint is likely to inflame tensions between the Confederation of African Football and FIFA over the perceived unequal treatment of African teams on the world stage. Hassan said he would not watch another minute of the tournament: "I am not going to continue following the matches of this World Cup." Whether FIFA acts or stays silent, Egypt's exit has already become a flashpoint far bigger than one match NE Herald.
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