The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has reportedly lodged a formal complaint with FIFA over the officiating in its dramatic FIFA World Cup Round of 16 defeat to Argentina, questioning several key decisions that preceded the defending champions’ remarkable comeback.
According to Spanish newspaper Diario AS, the EFA has asked FIFA to investigate French referee Francois Letexier and his officiating team after Egypt surrendered a two-goal lead before losing 3-2 in Atlanta.
The report added that Egypt has requested Letexier and his team not be appointed for any further matches at the tournament.
Egypt questions key refereeing calls
Egypt appeared on course for one of the biggest victories in the country’s football history after opening a 2-0 lead through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico.
However, Argentina produced a dramatic late turnaround. Cristian Romero reduced the deficit before Lionel Messi equalised, with Enzo Fernandez scoring the winner in stoppage time to send the reigning champions into the quarter-finals. Egypt’s frustration centred on several decisions made during the closing stages.
The African side believed a penalty appeal should have been reviewed by the video assistant referee before Argentina’s decisive goal. The team also questioned the VAR intervention that ruled out what would have been another Egyptian goal earlier in the match.
According to Diario AS, those incidents formed the basis of the complaint submitted to FIFA by EFA president Hany Abo Rida. Neither FIFA nor the referee has publicly responded to the reported complaint.
Egypt coach’s big charge afainst FIFA
Speaking after the match, Egypt head coach Hassan questioned both the officiating and the wider circumstances surrounding the game.
“We looked better than the reigning champion, better in everything but the result was influenced by internal factors on the pitch and external factors off it,” he said.
The coach went further by suggesting the tournament organisers had an interest in keeping Argentina and Lionel Messi in the competition.
“Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,” Hassan said.
“In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champion received support at every level.”
The comments are likely to attract scrutiny given FIFA’s long-standing stance on protecting the independence of match officials.
Argentina survive another scare
For much of the evening, Egypt looked set to produce one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. After taking a 2-0 lead, they defended resolutely before Argentina mounted a late comeback in the final stages.
Messi, who had earlier seen a penalty saved, played a central role in the recovery by scoring the equaliser before Fernández completed the turnaround deep into stoppage time.
Argentina will now face Switzerland in the quarter-finals, while Egypt’s tournament ends amid lingering questions over the officiating and a formal complaint that could place FIFA’s disciplinary processes under renewed focus.