Why French referee François Letexier was dropped from World Cup duty – and it was not because of Egypt

Speculation surrounding the removal of French referee François Letexier from the list of officials for the remainder of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been clarified, with reports indicating the decision was based on FIFA regulations rather than Egypt’s complaints following their defeat to Argentina.

Questions emerged after Letexier was left off the list of referees for the tournament’s closing stages, prompting claims on social media that FIFA had punished the official for his performance during Egypt’s 3-2 Round of 16 loss to Argentina.

The controversy followed strong criticism from Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan, while the Egyptian Football Association also lodged an official complaint with FIFA, calling for the referee to be suspended from the tournament.

France’s progress explains decision

However, reports from French newspaper L’Equipe stated that Letexier’s departure was not linked to the Egypt-Argentina match.

Instead, the report explained that both Letexier and fellow French referee Clément Turpin were automatically removed from the list of match officials after France progressed to the World Cup semi-finals.

The newspaper added that French official Jérôme Brisard remained at the tournament because he serves as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR), a role governed by different appointment criteria.

FIFA follows neutrality rules

FIFA’s Referees Committee appoints match officials under regulations designed to safeguard neutrality throughout the competition.

While the rules specifically prevent referees from officiating matches involving their own national team, the committee traditionally applies the principle more broadly during the latter stages of the tournament by removing referees from countries that remain in contention for the title.

With France reaching the semi-finals, Letexier and Turpin were therefore no longer eligible for further on-field appointments, making their departure an administrative decision rather than a disciplinary sanction.

Moroccan and Jordanian referees remain

As the World Cup enters its final phase, FIFA has reduced its pool of on-field referees to 12 officials for the remaining matches.

Among those retained are two Arab referees: Morocco’s Jalal Jayed and Jordan’s Adham Makhadmeh, both of whom remain in contention to officiate some of the tournament’s biggest fixtures.

Their inclusion reflects FIFA’s continued confidence in the pair as the competition approaches its conclusion.