World Cup 2026: French referee Letexier to escape FIFA sanction despite Egypt complaint

French referee François Letexier is set to escape FIFA punishment despite Egypt complaint about officiating in the high-stakes round clash against Argentina.

The North African giants were eliminated from the tournament on Tuesday after surrendering a two-goal lead against the reigning world champions, with the match sparking debate over several refereeing decisions made by Letexier and his officiating team.

The Egyptian Football Association submitted a complaint to FIFA, requesting an investigation into Letexier and the rest of the refereeing crew after the Pharaohs were denied what they believed was a clear penalty before Argentina’s winning goal, scored by Enzo Fernández.

According to reports, FIFA is unlikely to accept Egypt’s request to remove Letexier from the remaining World Cup fixtures.

The report stated that referee appointments are handled exclusively by FIFA’s Referees Committee, meaning national associations do not have the authority to influence or challenge such decisions.

FIFA’s refereeing body will review Letexier’s performance through its technical assessment process, but any decision regarding whether the French official continues in the tournament will be based on his overall evaluation rather than Egypt’s complaint.

The report also added that Letexier’s future involvement could be affected by France’s progress in the competition. Should France national football team reach the semi-finals, the French referee could be ruled out of officiating further matches to avoid any potential conflict of interest.