​Egypt’s men’s national team has submitted an official protest to FIFA after a contentious VAR decision ruled out a goal in their World Cup setback against Argentina. The Egyptians were eliminated from the tournament in a dramatic 3-2 defeat to the defending champions, having built a two-goal lead only to see it slip away in the closing minutes.
With Egypt ahead 1-0 in the second half, striker Mostafa Ziko saw his goal overturned by VAR after officials determined a foul had occurred in the play that led to the buildup. On the opposite side of the field, Marwan Attia was ruled to have fouled Argentina’s Lisandro Martínez just before Egypt converted on a counterattack, according to The Mirror US. The decision sparked widespread outrage, with fans, media, players, and coaches railing against the ruling and accusing the officiating of bias. Even commentators initially appeared to think the goal would count as replays were reviewed. Instead, French referee François Letexier disallowed the strike, restoring the scoreline to 1-0 in favor of Argentina.
Nine minutes later, Egypt extended their lead to 2-0 and appeared well-placed to eliminate Lionel Messi and the reigning champions. However, Argentina fought back, scoring three goals in the final 11 minutes plus stoppage time to win 3-2. The aftermath saw channels of frustration erupt, with one Egyptian star calling the World Cup “fixed” in Argentina’s favor after the final whistle, and head coach Hossam Hassan lamenting “injustice.”
In response, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) filed a formal complaint with FIFA, targeting Letexier and his assistant referees. An EFA statement circulated on social media stated: “The Egyptian Football Association cannot remain silent regarding the refereeing decisions witnessed during the match against Argentina as well as the failure to make appropriate use of the Video Assistant Referee [VAR] system. To listen to the latest episode of ‘All Out Soccer’ – CLICK HERE.” The statement also noted that several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the game. It emphasized the need to uphold the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and transparency in match officiating, especially in a competition of the FIFA World Cup’s magnitude and significance. The EFA’s grievance has not yet drawn a public response from FIFA.
This development comes amid a broader pattern of nations lodging complaints with FIFA during this World Cup season, including Belgium, which objected to United States striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban suspension for the Round of 16. Balogun was permitted to participate in the Round of 16 match as a result. The ongoing exchanges underscore the intense scrutiny of officiating and VAR usage at the tournament as teams and fans grapple with controversial calls that can dramatically alter outcomes on football’s biggest stage.