World Cup 2026: Egypt demand investigation into referee Letexier after defeat to Argentina

The Egyptian Football Association has reportedly taken formal action against French referee Francois Letexier following the Pharaohs’ controversial FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 defeat to Argentina.

According to reports from Egyptian media, the federation has submitted an official complaint to FIFA requesting an investigation into the referee and the video assistant referee (VAR) team involved in the match.

Egypt’s dramatic encounter with the defending champions in Atlanta was overshadowed by several disputed decisions, including the cancellation of a Mostafa Zico goal and a late Argentina winner that sparked protests from the Egyptian camp.

Egypt question key decisions in Argentina clash

The Pharaohs looked set to create one of the biggest shocks of the tournament after taking a 2-0 lead against Argentina.

However, the defending champions completed a stunning comeback to win 3-2, with Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez scoring to send Argentina into the quarter-finals.

Egypt’s frustration centred around several moments during the match, including VAR’s decision to overturn Zico’s goal after a review found a foul in the build-up.

The Egyptian side also questioned the decision to allow Argentina’s winning goal to stand, with officials claiming there were fouls during the build-up involving Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush.

Egyptian FA demands investigation into referee and VAR team

Reports indicate that Egyptian Football Association president Hani Abu Rida personally submitted the complaint to FIFA, calling for an investigation into what the federation described as serious refereeing mistakes and inconsistent decisions.

Abu Rida reportedly requested a review of the VAR team’s involvement, questioning why certain incidents were reviewed while others were not examined.

The Egyptian FA also called for the referee and the officiating team to be removed from the remainder of the World Cup if the investigation confirms wrongdoing.

Controversy continues after Pharaohs’ historic campaign

The complaint adds another chapter to the debate surrounding Egypt’s World Cup exit, with the officiating decisions continuing to attract attention from supporters and analysts.

Despite the disappointment of elimination, Egypt recorded their best-ever World Cup performance by reaching the knockout stage for the first time in their history.

The Pharaohs’ dramatic run ended against the defending champions, but the fallout from the Argentina clash is expected to continue as FIFA reviews the complaint submitted by the Egyptian federation.