Egyptian Football Association Condemns Officiating in World Cup Loss

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, July 9, 2026

The Egyptian Football Association condemned the refereeing in Egypt’s 3-2 World Cup loss to Argentina, accusing officials of biased and inconsistent decisions that impacted the match’s result. The EFA highlighted controversial VAR rulings and alleged unfair treatment, calling for greater fairness and transparency in officiating at major football tournaments.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) issued a strong condemnation of the officiating during Egypt's 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the round of 16 at the World Cup on Tuesday, citing concerns over fairness and biased decisions that they believe influenced the match’s outcome.

In a statement released Wednesday, the EFA said it “cannot remain silent” regarding what it described as inconsistent and unfair refereeing in the match held in Qatar. Egypt had taken a 2-0 lead through goals from Mostafa Ziko and another, only for Argentina to score three goals in a span of 13 minutes to complete one of the tournament’s most remarkable comebacks.

Central to the EFA’s grievance was a disallowed Egyptian goal in the 58th minute, initially scored but ruled out after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review that determined Marwan Attia had fouled Argentine defender Lisandro Martínez prior to the goal. The association criticized the referee’s application of VAR, claiming it was handled improperly and affected the flow and fairness of the game.

The association’s statement pointed to a series of key incidents that raised “serious concerns” about the consistency and impartiality of the refereeing decisions, which they argued directly shaped the course of the match. Egypt’s coach, Hossam Hassan, and several players expressed disbelief after the game, with Hassan notably making a gesture signaling racial abuse following Argentina’s stoppage-time winning goal.

Hassan further asserted that his team had been treated unfairly by what he described as a soccer establishment favoring Lionel Messi and Argentina. The match also saw heightened tensions, including the red carding of Egypt’s goalkeeping coach, Saafan Elsaghir, and multiple yellow cards issued to Egyptian players.

The EFA’s statement emphasized the widespread support Egypt received from various football analysts and experts who underscored the need for integrity, fairness, and transparency in officiating, especially on football’s largest stages. The association concluded by reiterating that every Egyptian player and fan “deserves fairness, respect, and equal application of the laws of the game.”

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.