The 2026 FIFA World Cup has largely been celebrated for its engaging matches and the positive reception from international visitors. Host cities across the United States have been commended for their facilities and vibrant atmospheres, contributing to a widely successful tournament both on and off the field.
However, even major sporting events can encounter contentious moments. An early point of contention in the initial stages of the tournament involved the red card issued to Folarin Balogun during the US Men's National Team's match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. This decision was later deemed a misapplication of VAR regulations, leading FIFA to postpone his one-game suspension, which allowed him to participate in the Round of 16 against Belgium. This incident drew considerable criticism from European fans, commentators, and their football federations.
Yet, the intensity of these earlier disputes was overshadowed by the strong allegations made by members of the Egyptian national team following their unexpected 3-2 defeat to Argentina and superstar Lionel Messi on Tuesday afternoon.
Controversial Calls Ignite Outcry
After the match, Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan addressed the media, openly criticizing the officiating.
"We haven’t seen respect or fair play," Hassan stated. "A penalty was ruled out, and a second [incident] that should have been checked for a penalty for us was not even checked by the VAR. A second goal was remarkably, for whatever reason, disallowed."
He continued, expressing deep frustration:
"I want to put it in beautiful words and say, ‘Hard luck,’ but we have been treated unfairly, and it has been an injustice."
The match saw Egypt initially take a 1-0 lead. They appeared to extend this lead to 2-0, but the goal was nullified after a VAR review identified a foul approximately 20 seconds earlier on the opposite side of the pitch. While Egypt did score another goal, the potential 3-0 lead could have made Argentina's eventual comeback significantly more challenging. Additionally, several other decisions were questioned, including a possible penalty not awarded after a foul involving star player Mohamed Salah.
Coach Hassan Alleges External Influence
Hassan also conveyed his belief that external factors played a role in the outcome.
"We looked better than the reigning champions — better in everything — but the result was influenced by internal factors on the pitch and external factors off it," he told reporters. "Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running."
He elaborated on his concerns:
"In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champion received support at every level."
Hassan concluded by suggesting pressure on the officials:
"There seems to have been pressure on the Argentinian side on the referee that has brought about this outcome. Life is unfair. The world is unfair. OK, but why isn’t there any fairness in sports? I’m not convinced by this outcome and by the way things unfolded in this match."
Player Echoes Frustration
Forward Mostafa Ziko shared similar sentiments, asserting that his Egyptian squad was "hard done" by the referee's decisions.
"We were hard done by [the referee] today, and everyone saw that. I won't talk about something like this. We were winning 2-0. After the 2-0 result, everything went against us and worked against us. I don't even know why the second goal was disallowed, I don't see any reason for it. But we must look for a solution so that a second goal doesn't come. He wanted to disallow the third one too, but thank God, God didn't grant him success."
Ziko went further, directly accusing the match of being compromised.
"It was a rigged game," Ziko declared. "It wasn’t our fault. That referee… it seems like this match was rigged. We were winning 2-0, and he kept coming at us. Congratulations to Argentina on another World Cup, it seems."
It is widely understood that FIFA benefits from the continued presence of high-profile teams and players like Messi and Argentina in the later stages of a tournament, as it generally boosts interest and viewership. However, this perspective does not inherently validate claims of a "rigged" match. While the VAR decision to disallow Egypt's second goal appeared questionable, several other contentious calls during the game were considered borderline decisions that could plausibly have gone either way.
A factor not emphasized by the Egyptian players or their coach is the team's defensive performance, specifically their allowance of three goals within a 25-minute period during Argentina's comeback.
