Referee Szymon Marciniak Keeps FIFA Assignment After Messi Foul Row

At the Argentina‑Algeria group‑stage match (3‑0) in the 2026 World Cup, Argentina captain Lionel Messi tripped an Algerian defender. Referee Szymon Marciniak judged it a non‑offence and did not issue a card, sparking worldwide criticism and calls for sanctions against him and VAR official Tomasz Kwiatkowski.

FIFA later confirmed that it holds no objections to Marciniak’s performance, stating “FIFA has no objections to the work of the Polish referee.” The Polish referee has been assigned another group‑stage match, Egypt versus Iran, set for 27 June in Seattle, indicating continued trust from the governing body.

The upcoming Egypt‑Iran fixture is seen as politically sensitive, given existing U.S.‑Iran tensions, but no disciplinary action is expected against the officials.