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[SPORTS] · Egypt, Argentina, United States · 100 sources

Egypt demands FIFA probe of referee Letexier after World Cup loss

Egypt's national team was eliminated 3‑2 by Argentina in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta. The Egyptian Football Federation (EFA) said key refereeing decisions – a disallowed goal by Mostafa Zico after a VAR review and a denied penalty claim on Mohamed Salah – cost them the match. The EFA filed a formal complaint with FIFA demanding an investigation into French referee François Letexier and his assistants, accusing them of double standards and asking that the officials be removed from the tournament.

FIFA’s refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina responded, defending the officials and explaining the VAR process that led to the goal being overturned and the contact between Salah and Julián Álvarez being judged normal. Collina rejected claims of bias, stating that no one can influence World Cup referees, not even the FIFA president.

The controversy also spilled into unrelated areas: the Argentine Football Association reported a hack that circulated an email criticizing the officiating, which it said was unauthorised. Media outlets in Egypt and elsewhere amplified the dispute, using terms such as “robbed” and “double standards.”

Sources

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