Egypt Demand FIFA Investigation After Controversial World Cup Exit

The Egyptian Football Association has officially lodged a complaint with FIFA following the national team's dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16. The federation is seeking a full investigation into the officiating team, claiming major refereeing mistakes influenced the outcome of the match.

According to the EFA, the referees and the VAR officials applied inconsistent standards throughout the game. The federation believes several key decisions unfairly affected Egypt's chances of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in its history.

The controversy centered on a disallowed goal by Mostafa Ziko after a VAR review, while another disputed incident involved a challenge on Hamdy Fathy inside the penalty area shortly before Argentina scored the winning goal. Egyptian officials argue that the second incident deserved a VAR review but was ignored.

The EFA has requested that FIFA examine the actions of the entire match officiating team, including the VAR officials. The federation also urged the governing body to remove those involved from the remainder of the tournament if any misconduct or unfair treatment is confirmed.

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan also expressed frustration with the refereeing after the match, questioning several important decisions that went against his team. The complaints have intensified the debate surrounding officiating standards at the 2026 World Cup, although no evidence has been presented to support claims beyond the disputed decisions.