Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan accused FIFA and the match referee of bias toward Argentina following his team’s 3-2 loss in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16. The match took place in Atlanta, where Egypt led 2-0 early but conceded three late goals.
Egypt took the lead through Yasser Ibrahim’s header and Mostafa Ziko’s counterattack goal. Argentina fought back with goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernandez in stoppage time. Several VAR decisions, including a disallowed Egyptian goal and rejected penalty appeals, fueled immediate protests from the Egyptian bench.
Hossam Hassan addressed reporters after the game. He said his team suffered injustice and questioned FIFA’s commitment to fair play. “We were better, but football is unfair,” Hassan stated. “It could be a matter of marketing. They want Messi to stay in the tournament. In football, many things happen off the pitch because of interests.”
Egypt forward Mostafa Ziko also criticized the officiating. Ziko described the referee as unfair. He added that officials wasted the effort of an entire nation and claimed the cup went to Argentina. “The referee is unfair. He is wasting the effort of an entire nation. The cup is being given to Argentina,” Ziko declared.
Hossam Hassan revealed that Egypt objected to French referee Francois Letexier before the match. Hassan noted Argentina’s past victory over France in the 2022 final. “There seems to have been pressure on the Argentinian side on the referee,” he explained.
The loss ended Egypt’s campaign despite their strong start. Argentina advanced to face Switzerland. FIFA has not commented publicly on the accusations. No evidence of manipulation has surfaced.
