Restaurants and cafes in Egypt and the U.S. have banned French referee François Letexier from entering their premises.

The move reflects the intense emotional aftermath of the World Cup match between Egypt and Argentina, where officiating decisions sparked widespread public outcry. This rare instance of private businesses targeting a sports official highlights the deep cultural impact of the tournament's results.

The ban follows the match held on Nov. 30, 2022, at Lusail Stadium in Qatar [1, 2]. A spokesperson for the group of restaurants and cafes said the ban is due to errors Letexier made in his decisions that favored Argentina over Egypt [1, 2].

While the business owners have taken a public stand against the official, FIFA has defended the integrity of the match. Pierluigi Collina, the head of the FIFA Referees Committee, said the allegations regarding the officiating decisions in the Egypt-Argentina match are unfounded [1, 2].

Collina said that the integrity of World Cup referees is not open to questioning [1, 2]. Despite this official denial, the restaurants in both Egypt and the U.S. maintain their restriction on Letexier's entry into their establishments [1, 2].

The controversy centers on specific calls made during the 2022 game that Egyptian supporters believe unfairly disadvantaged their national team. This has led to a coordinated effort by hospitality venues to express their dissatisfaction through a formal ban, a gesture of protest that extends beyond the borders of Egypt.

“We are banning the French referee because of the errors he made in his decisions in favor of Argentina at the expense of Egypt.”

This situation demonstrates how international sporting events can trigger localized social and economic protests. By extending the ban to the U.S., the movement shows the reach of the Egyptian diaspora and their shared grievance over the 2022 World Cup officiating. It underscores a conflict between the formal governance of FIFA, which maintains a standard of refereeing immunity, and the informal 'court of public opinion' exercised by private businesses.