Egypt FA appeals to FIFA over controversial World Cup refereeing

Referee Francois Letexier, of France, leaves the pitch after the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt in Atlanta. (AP)

ATLANTA, July 8: The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has lodged a complaint with FIFA over the refereeing decisions in Egypt’s 3-2 World Cup Round of 16 defeat to Argentina, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the performance of French referee François Letexier.

In an official statement, the EFA criticized several decisions involving the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, saying they raised serious questions and sparked widespread criticism from media outlets and football experts.

The federation confirmed that it would take all available legal and regulatory steps to protect Egypt’s rights and ensure fairness in international competitions.

Despite the elimination, the EFA praised the national team’s campaign, highlighting the players’ commitment, fighting spirit and the respect they earned throughout the tournament.

The federation described Egypt’s World Cup run as a significant milestone in the development of Egyptian football, adding that efforts would continue in collaboration with state institutions to expand the game, develop young talent, and create future generations capable of competing at the highest levels.

Egypt reached the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in its history after defeating Australia in the Round of 32 before facing Argentina in a controversial last-16 clash.

The match was overshadowed by refereeing disputes after Egypt had a goal disallowed following a VAR review. At the same time, the Pharaohs were also denied a late penalty appeal that could have changed the outcome.

EFA President Hany Abou Rida confirmed after the match that the federation had officially contacted FIFA, calling for an investigation into the referee and his team.

Abou Rida said the complaint was based on what he described as “major refereeing errors and inconsistent decisions” that affected the result and contributed to Egypt’s elimination from the tournament.

He added that the federation requested a review of the entire officiating crew, including VAR officials, over the failure to reconsider incidents that Egypt believed should have resulted in a valid goal and a penalty.

The EFA president also called for the referee and the full officiating team to be removed from the World Cup if an investigation confirmed serious mistakes and unfair treatment toward the Egyptian national team.