Egypt Lodge Formal FIFA Complaint and Demand Referee Francois Letexier's Removal Following Controversial WC 2026 Loss To Argentina

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has formally filed a complaint with FIFA, calling for an investigation into the officiating of French referee François Letexier and his team, and demanding their removal from the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. The move comes in the wake of Egypt's agonizing 3-2 defeat to defending champions Argentina in a highly contentious Round of 16 match on Tuesday, July 7, at Atlanta Stadium. Viral Video Shows Moments Argentina Were Favoured Against Egypt During FIFA World Cup 2026 R16 Match.

According to a report by Spanish publication Diario AS, EFA President Hany Abo Rida submitted the official protest, alleging 'fatal mistakes' and 'double standards' by the French refereeing crew that ultimately cost the Pharaohs their place in the quarter-finals.

Controversial Decisions Spark Outrage

The match, which saw Egypt lead 2-0 before a stunning late comeback by Argentina, was marred by several disputed incidents. Key among Egypt's grievances are a disallowed goal and a denied penalty. In the 58th minute, with Egypt leading 1-0, Mostafa Zico appeared to double their lead, only for the goal to be overturned by VAR after Letexier reviewed a foul by Marwan Attia on Argentina's Lisandro Martínez, occurring over 80 metres from goal in the build-up. Former Spanish referee Eduardo Iturralde reportedly commented to AS that such a 'minor stamp' would 'never normally be reviewed' under typical VAR interpretation.

The second major point of contention arose in stoppage time. Just moments before Enzo Fernández scored Argentina's winning goal, Egypt's Mohamed Salah was seemingly fouled inside the penalty area by Julián Álvarez, but no penalty was awarded, and VAR did not intervene. This decision, or lack thereof, directly preceded Argentina's decisive goal, fueling accusations of biased officiating. Lionel Messi Clashes With Egypt Coach Hossam Hassan as Argentina Pulls Off Dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 Comeback (Watch Video).

Head Coach and Players Voice Frustration

Egyptian head coach Hossam Hassan publicly lashed out at the officiating and FIFA in his post-match analysis. 'We outplayed them in every aspect. The result was influenced by factors behind the scenes, and before the match it seems pressure was put on the referee from Argentina, and this was the result,' Hassan stated, adding, 'We deserved to win. There was no fair play, there was no respect.' He also controversially suggested that the tournament might be 'rigged' to ensure Argentina and Lionel Messi's continued presence.

Striker Mostafa Zico, who had a goal disallowed and scored Egypt's second, echoed these sentiments, expressing his fury by saying, 'It was unfair. The referee threw away the effort of an entire nation.' ‘They Want Lionel Messi To Stay’, Egypt Coach Hossam Hassan Claims FIFA World Cup 2026 Is ‘Rigged’ After Argentina Defeat.

Match Details

This was the third encounter between these two nations and their first meeting in the World Cup. Argentina had won both previous matches: an Olympic semi-final in 1928, which they won 6-0, and a friendly in March 2008, which Argentina won 2-0.

The EFA's formal complaint calls for a thorough investigation into the match officials' conduct and demands that Letexier's team be removed from officiating duties for the remainder of the World Cup, emphasizing that such alleged "discrimination crime" should not go unpunished.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 08, 2026 03:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).