World Cup 2026: Was Egypt robbed by Argentina? Pierluigi Collina breaks his silence!

As refereeing decisions stir up the 2026 World Cup, Pierluigi Collina has stepped forward to defend the work of the officials, particularly in the high-profile Argentina vs. Egypt clash.

Just hours before the quarter-finals kick off, the 2026 World Cup is embroiled in intense refereeing debates. Several controversial calls have fueled heated discussions in recent days: from a yellow card upheld for a French international to a fiery round of 16 encounter between Argentina and Egypt, where both sides took turns criticizing the officiating. The Egyptians, in particular, felt wronged by a disallowed goal they believed should have stood.

See also: World Cup 2026 / France - Morocco: three Les Bleus at risk of suspension!

Collina stands up for referee independence

Amid a growing wave of criticism and suspicions of external influence over certain appointments, FIFA’s head of refereeing has sought to clarify the situation. He emphasized that controversial decisions remain statistically marginal given the sheer number of matches played in such a short timeframe, and that the refereeing team systematically analyzes and seeks to correct any errors. Collina also firmly dismissed any notion of interference—even from the highest levels of FIFA—underscoring the complete independence of his team and warning of the dangerous consequences of unfounded accusations, which have even led to threats against officials.

Argentine-Egypt controversy dissected

Addressing the specific case of Argentina vs. Egypt, Collina detailed the video review protocol. According to him, a foul is a foul, no matter how far back it occurs from the eventual goal, justifying the VAR intervention on the play protested by the Egyptians. Conversely, the absence of a ruling on another contentious contact, he insisted, was simply part of normal play. While these explanations may not fully appease all frustrations, they do reinforce the refereeing corps’ position as the tournament heads into its decisive stages.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

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Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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