World Cup 2026: Mohamed Ouahbi calls for refereeing consistency before France quarter-final

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi has voiced confidence in the standard of refereeing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite recent controversies surrounding several knockout matches, insisting his team is focused on its quarter-final against France rather than officiating debates.

The Atlas Lions face France on Thursday, 9 July, with a place in the semi-finals at stake.

Ahead of the contest, Ouahbi addressed the media and was asked about refereeing following the criticism that emerged after Egypt’s elimination against Argentina.

The Egyptian Football Association lodged a complaint against French referee François Letexier after that match, adding to the wider discussion surrounding officiating during the tournament.

While the issue has generated considerable debate, Ouahbi made it clear that he has confidence in the officials selected for the latter stages of the competition.

Ouahbi backs World Cup referees despite recent criticism

Speaking before Morocco’s meeting with France, the coach said he believes the experience of the match officials should inspire confidence among the competing teams.

Rather than questioning FIFA’s appointments, Ouahbi stressed the importance of accepting refereeing decisions while acknowledging that greater consistency would benefit the game.

He told reporters:

“Tomorrow’s referees have experience, and that’s important. We’re confident about that. Generally speaking, we have to accept the refereeing. Against Canada, we had a referee who was handing out cards without saying a word. And the one in France-Paraguay did the opposite. So we need to standardize things. But otherwise, the referees are up to standard.”

His comments reflected a balanced position, recognising differences in officiating styles without questioning the overall quality of the referees involved in the tournament.

Rather than criticising individual officials, Ouahbi highlighted consistency as the main area where improvements could be made.

Morocco remain focused on France challenge

Although refereeing has become one of the major talking points during the World Cup, the Morocco coach suggested his squad has no intention of allowing those discussions to distract from its preparations.

The Atlas Lions have enjoyed an impressive campaign and now stand one victory away from another appearance in the World Cup semi-finals.

Ouahbi indicated that the players’ attention remains firmly fixed on the challenge awaiting them against France.

Instead of dwelling on controversy, Morocco are concentrating on their own performances as they attempt to continue their run in the competition.

The coach’s remarks underline a desire to keep the focus on football rather than external issues.

Calls for greater consistency

While expressing confidence in the officials, Ouahbi acknowledged that refereeing styles can vary significantly from one match to another.

His comparison between Morocco’s meeting with Canada and the France-Paraguay match illustrated how different referees can manage games in contrasting ways.

For Ouahbi, the solution lies in greater uniformity rather than criticism of individual referees.

He believes experienced officials are capable of handling matches at this level, provided there is a more consistent interpretation of the laws throughout the tournament.

That measured approach contrasts with some of the stronger reactions seen elsewhere following controversial refereeing decisions.

Quarter-final takes centre stage

With the refereeing debate continuing across the tournament, Morocco’s immediate priority remains Thursday’s quarter-final against France.

The Atlas Lions are aiming to continue their World Cup journey, while Ouahbi has made it clear that discussions about officiating will not distract his players from their objective.

As Morocco prepare for one of their biggest matches of the tournament, the coach’s message is straightforward: trust the officials, focus on the football, and let performances on the pitch decide the outcome.