FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has defended the officiating in Argentina's 3-2 victory over Egypt in the World Cup round of 16, dismissing claims of bias and affirming that match officials operated with complete independence.

In an interview published on FIFA’s website, Collina acknowledged that criticism of referees is part of football but condemned the questioning of officials' integrity after Egypt complained about the officiating following their defeat. He stated, "Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport."

Collina emphasized that "nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials" and that refereeing cannot be influenced by anyone, including FIFA president Gianni Infantino. He also warned that such allegations of bias could provoke threats against referees and their families.

Egypt exited the tournament after Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit with 11 minutes remaining, securing a stoppage-time winner from Enzo Fernandez. Following the match, Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan alleged there may have been pressure on the referee to keep Argentina in the tournament and claimed Egypt were misled out of a quarterfinal place. The Egyptian Football Association expressed serious concerns about the consistency and fairness of decisions that influenced the game, particularly a non-penalized challenge on Mohamed Salah moments before Argentina’s winning goal.

Additionally, Argentina fans were accused of violence and racism by supporters from Egypt and Cape Verde during the tournament.

Collina acknowledged the challenges referees face with a high number of matches in a short period, stating, "It is normal that some things do not go as expected. When that happens, they [referees] are ready to work even harder to ensure they are fully prepared for the next match."

Sources