Egypt have submitted an official complaint to FIFA over refereeing decisions during their dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup last-16 stage, demanding a review of the officiating and the removal of referee François Letexier from the remainder of the tournament.
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The Pharaohs were eliminated after Argentina scored three goals in a remarkable 13-minute spell, securing a place in the quarter-finals where they will face Switzerland.
However, the result has been overshadowed by controversy following Egypt’s concerns over a late decision that they believe affected the outcome of the match.
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan criticised Letexier’s performance after the game, describing the officiating as unfair and questioning whether the tournament had been influenced in Argentina’s favour.
The main point of dispute came moments before Argentina’s decisive goal in stoppage time.
Hassan claimed Egypt should have been awarded a penalty before Argentina launched the counter-attack that ended with Enzo Fernández scoring a 92nd-minute header.
The complaint represents a formal challenge from the Egyptian Football Association, which has asked FIFA to examine the referee’s decisions and reconsider Letexier’s involvement in the remaining World Cup fixtures.
Argentina’s victory completed a dramatic comeback after Egypt had competed strongly against the reigning world champions.
The match featured intense moments at both ends of the pitch, with Argentina eventually finding the breakthrough needed to progress.
For Egypt, the defeat ended their hopes of reaching the latter stages of the tournament, but their officials believe the circumstances surrounding the final moments require further review.
FIFA has not yet announced a decision regarding Egypt’s request or whether any disciplinary review of the referee’s performance will take place.
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The controversy adds another layer of drama to a World Cup knockout stage already defined by narrow margins, high-pressure decisions and the significant impact of refereeing calls on teams’ tournament journeys.
Ibrahim Onipede is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
