The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has submitted a formal complaint to FIFA against French referee Francois Letexier and his officiating team following Egypt's 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 on Tuesday, according to Spanish publication Diario AS.
Disallowed Goal Sparks Controversy
The match saw Egypt's second-half goal from Mostafa Ziko disallowed after a VAR review determined an infringement occurred approximately 20 seconds before the ball entered the net. The decision became a turning point, ending Egypt's World Cup campaign while Argentina advanced to the quarter-finals.
EFA president Hany Abo Rida submitted the complaint, which calls for an investigation into what the federation considers controversial decisions that went against the Pharaohs. The EFA has also requested the removal of the French officiating team from the remainder of the tournament, citing significant errors and accusing the referee of playing a "decisive role" in Argentina's victory.
Egypt Coach Boycotts World Cup
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan announced a personal boycott of the rest of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing a lack of "fair play" and "justice." After the loss, Hassan told reporters, as quoted by ESPN UK: "Argentina's victory is entirely undeserved. I promise you, once I return today, I will not watch football in this World Cup at all, because there is no justice in it. My personal protest is that I will not watch this World Cup again. When I get back home and back to our country, I am not watching it."
Hassan added: "We had the right to win, and I don't want to say 'hard luck' to us - No. We left with honour, honour on our part. But the final result, aside from being highly influenced, is a far cry from the 'fair play' that FIFA talks about and far from respect. There was neither respect nor fair play today."
Broader Context of FIFA Decisions
The Egypt controversy follows another high-profile dispute involving United States forward Folarin Balogun. After receiving a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, Balogun's automatic one-match suspension was suspended by FIFA under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, allowing him to play in the Round of 16 against Belgium. The reversal drew widespread criticism after US President Donald Trump revealed he had spoken with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to "review" Balogun's suspension before FIFA announced the decision.
