World Cup 2026: Refereeing errors – Were Egypt robbed in defeat to Argentina?

Egypt’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been overshadowed by controversy after the Pharaohs and their coaching staff expressed anger over several refereeing decisions during their dramatic 3-2 defeat to defending champions Argentina in the Round of 16.

French referee Francois Letexier became the centre of criticism from the Egyptian camp, with players and officials questioning key decisions that they believe influenced the outcome of the match.

Egypt had produced a strong performance against the reigning champions, taking a two-goal lead before Argentina completed a stunning comeback to secure a place in the quarter-finals.

VAR decision to cancel Zico goal sparks Egyptian frustration

One of the biggest moments of controversy came in the second half when Egypt thought they had extended their advantage through Mostafa Ziko.

The goal followed a brilliant counter-attacking move, with Mohamed Salah finding space before setting up Ziko, who calmly finished from close range.

However, after a VAR review, referee Francois Letexier overturned the goal after deciding there had been a foul during the build-up involving Marwan Attia near Egypt’s penalty area.

The decision left the Egyptian players and technical staff frustrated, as they felt the goal should have been allowed to stand.

Egypt question decision during Argentina’s winning goal

The biggest anger from the Pharaohs’ camp came during Argentina’s third goal, which arrived deep into stoppage time and completed the defending champions’ comeback.

Egypt argued that the move should have been stopped earlier, claiming Mohamed Salah was fouled after entering Argentina’s penalty area from the right side.

The Egyptian side also protested that Omar Marmoush was pulled back inside the box while attempting to continue the attack, preventing him from moving forward if Salah had delivered the ball.

The ball quickly travelled towards Egypt’s penalty area, where Enzo Fernandez eventually scored the decisive goal after connecting with Lautaro Martinez’s cross.

Letexier faces criticism after late-match protests

The late winner led to strong protests from Egyptian players and members of the coaching staff, who surrounded the referee to demand explanations.

Instead of reviewing the incident, the Egyptian camp felt the decision was allowed to stand without further intervention. Letexier later showed a red card to Egypt’s goalkeeping coach Saafan Al-Saghir during the protests.

Throughout the match, Egyptian officials also questioned the consistency of the referee’s approach, arguing that disciplinary decisions appeared stricter towards the Pharaohs compared with Argentina.

Controversy remains after Egypt’s World Cup exit

While Argentina advanced to the quarter-finals after completing a historic comeback, the refereeing decisions from the match have become a major talking point in Egypt.

The Pharaohs’ elimination ended their hopes of making further progress at the tournament, but the debate over Letexier’s performance is expected to continue following a dramatic night that saw Egypt come within minutes of eliminating the defending world champions.