The Egyptian Football Association has filed a formal protest with FIFA after a 3-2 [1] loss to Argentina in the World Cup Round of 16 [2].
The dispute centers on allegations of officiating errors that may have unfairly decided the outcome of a high-stakes knockout match. Because the Round of 16 marks the beginning of the tournament's elimination phase, the result ends Egypt's campaign in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Egypt officials accused referee François Letexier of making unfair Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions that cost the team the match [3]. Specifically, the Egyptian side alleged that a VAR reversal of a goal, and other officiating calls, influenced the final score [4].
Some reports described the loss as rigged due to these refereeing decisions [5]. The Egyptian Football Association is now demanding a full investigation into the conduct of the match and the specific calls made by Letexier [4].
Letexier defended his performance and the decisions made during the game. He said the calls were made according to the rules of the sport [6].
The match, played this week on Tuesday, ended with Argentina defeating Egypt 3-2 [1]. This result advances Argentina to the next stage of the tournament while removing Egypt from contention [2].
“Egypt lost 3-2 to Argentina in the Round of 16”
This protest highlights the ongoing tension between traditional officiating and the implementation of VAR in knockout football. While FIFA rarely overturns match results based on refereeing errors, a formal investigation could lead to internal reviews of officiating standards for the remainder of the 2026 tournament.
