World Cup: referee of France–Paraguay match faces heavy criticism

Despite Les Bleus booking their place in the quarterfinals, Ilgiz Tantashev's officiating sparks debate.

World Cup 2026 05 July 2026 at 03:55

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World Cup: referee of France–Paraguay match faces heavy criticism

France secured their spot in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals with a victory over Paraguay. But after the final whistle, all eyes turned to the referee’s performance.

Uzbek official Ilgiz Tantashev came under fire for his management of the game. Many pundits believe he let too many fouls go unpunished and failed to keep the game’s intensity under control. The match was characterized by fierce challenges and a sometimes chaotic atmosphere on the pitch, fueling criticism of the refereeing team.

PARAGUAY COMMIT FRENCH ASSAULT WITH 0 CARDS 😳🤬

Paraguay have somehow escaped their defeat to France with 0 bookings, compared to France’s 3…

After multiple awful challenges, they only committed 12 fouls, and non given as a card. They also repeatedly tried to con the ref and… pic.twitter.com/S9Va6uvJeg
— The92Bible (@The92Bible) July 4, 2026

According to some analysts, this display could spell the end of the referee’s tournament run. As for Les Bleus, they march on in the World Cup despite the surrounding controversy.