Egyptian referee uses phone replay to overturn penalty in second division match (VIDEO)

A controversial incident in Egypt’s second division has gone viral after the referee team used a mobile phone replay to overturn a late penalty decision in the absence of VAR.

The unusual scene unfolded during the match between Tanta and El Masriya Lil-Etisalat, highlighting the growing gap in technology between top-tier and lower-league football.

In the closing minutes, referee Abdelaziz El-Sayed awarded a penalty to El Masriya after a foul he believed occurred inside the box. Tanta’s players immediately surrounded him, insisting the contact took place outside the area. Tensions escalated when Tanta coach Ayman El-Mazeen pulled his players off the pitch in protest, putting the match at real risk of being abandoned.

At that point, the fourth official and match delegates stepped in, reviewing the incident on a personal mobile phone using a replay from the broadcast. After a brief check, they informed the referee that the foul was indeed outside the box, prompting him to cancel the penalty and resume the game.

The match eventually finished 0–0, but the incident has reignited debate about weak refereeing infrastructure in Egypt’s lower divisions and the urgent need to extend modern technology to all levels of the game.

مفيش VAR عادي هنتصرف ❌ الموبايل موجود وهنراجع اللقطة منه ✔️

الحكم يستعين بالموبايل في مباراة طنطا المصرية للاتصالات لمراجعة صحة ضربة الجزاء ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/h9Wb2GOrUr

— ON Sport (@ONTimeSports) April 16, 2026