​The Egyptian Football Association has condemned the refereeing decisions in Egypt’s dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup round of 16, insisting it will not stay quiet about what it called the improper use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. In a statement posted on social media on Wednesday, the EFA argued that several calls during the match directly affected the outcome. Egypt looked set for one of the tournament’s biggest shocks when they led the defending champions 2-0 with 11 minutes remaining, only to concede three goals in quick succession and crash out.
“Several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game,” the federation stated. “A number of football experts and specialist analysts, both locally and internationally, have highlighted controversial and influential refereeing incidents during the match. This underlines the importance of maintaining the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and transparency in match officiating, particularly in a competition of the stature and significance of the FIFA World Cup 2026.”
According to multiple media outlets, EFA President Hany Abo Rida has filed an official complaint against French referee Francois Letexier and his assistants. FIFA has yet to respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment on Egypt’s reported complaint.
Much of the dispute centered on a 62nd-minute goal by Mostafa Zico that would have doubled Egypt’s lead but was disallowed after a VAR review identified a foul in the build-up by an Egyptian player. Egypt’s frustration grew when their appeals for a penalty after Hamdy Fathy was brought down were rejected, before Argentina advanced and clinched the winner in stoppage time.
A prominent sports industry expert questioned why VAR officials raised the issue if the on-field officials did not call a foul when Egyptian defender Marwan Attia lightly tugged Lisandro Martinez’s shirt and stepped on his foot. “A logical solution to the VAR issue would be for fans and viewers to hear an assessment of the alleged offence, understand the arguments, and gain clear insight into the basis for a decision,” said Simon Chadwick, professor of Afro-Eurasian sport at Emlyon Business School in Shanghai, speaking to Al Jazeera. Chadwick acknowledged that Egyptian players should not have become overwhelmed with emotion, but added that “a sense of injustice was induced by the VAR decision.”
“This technology was supposed to minimise doubt and bring consistency. Instead, its use during this match had significant cognitive and behavioural effects,” he commented.
Egypt’s head coach Hossam Hassan and captain Mohamed Salah were among those calling for a reconsideration of VAR usage and its impact on the match’s outcome. The ongoing debate over VAR in major tournaments continues to divide opinions, with supporters arguing that it helps correct clear errors and opponents contending that it introduces delays, ambiguity, and inconsistent judgments.
As Egypt looks ahead, the federation’s leadership has reiterated its commitment to transparency and integrity in officiating, promising to pursue all legitimate avenues to address the concerns raised by this contest. Whether the complaint will prompt changes in VAR protocols or officiating oversight remains to be seen, but the incident has already intensified the broader discussion about the role of video technology in the sport at the highest level.