Pierluigi Collina, the head of refereeing at FIFA, has dismissed claims of bias regarding Argentina’s 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16. Collina emphasized that the impartiality of officials must remain beyond reproach.
The controversy followed complaints from the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) and coach Hossam Hassan, who questioned the officiating after Enzo Fernandez netted a late winner. Hassan suggested that officials might have been influenced to keep Lionel Messi and the defending champions in the tournament, leading the EFA to formally request an investigation into alleged double standards.
Collina addressed the situation via FIFA’s official website, acknowledging that while debating calls is typical in football, casting doubt on the honesty of referees is unacceptable. He highlighted the potential for such rhetoric to incite threats against officials and their families. He further stated that neither he nor any official is susceptible to pressure from external figures, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The EFA’s grievance specifically focused on the reversal of a goal by Mostafa Zico following a VAR check and a denied foul claim involving Mohamed Salah. Collina defended these decisions, stating that the VAR intervention was accurate because a foul occurred during the buildup to the disallowed goal. Regarding the incident involving Salah and Julian Alvarez, the refereeing team categorized it as routine contact.
FIFA maintains that its VAR protocols are functioning as intended. Argentina moves on to the quarter-finals, while Egypt has been eliminated from the competition.
