FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has strongly refuted allegations that World Cup officials are fixing matches, particularly in support of Lionel Messi and Argentina. His remarks come after Egypt's manager, Hossam Hassan, accused FIFA of rigging the tournament for "marketing reasons" following his team's controversial 3-2 loss to Argentina in a last-16 tie.
Collina emphasized the integrity and independence of FIFA's match officials, stating that "nobody can claim that FIFA Refereeing can be influenced by anyone." He added that such unfounded allegations can lead to threats against referees and their families, which he deemed unacceptable. "Match officials make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always try to do their best," Collina said in comments to FIFA.com.
Egypt's exit was marked by intense controversy. After Argentina scored a late winner through Enzo Fernandez, chaos erupted on the touchline. Egypt's goalkeeper coach, Saafan El-Sagheer, was sent off after reacting furiously to decisions, and Hassan was seen in a heated exchange with officials. The Egyptian team felt aggrieved, particularly regarding a disallowed goal and a penalty appeal that was denied by VAR just before Argentina's decisive goal.
Hassan expressed his deep disappointment post-match, suggesting that "internal" and "external" factors influenced the result. "It could be a matter of marketing, they could want to make a World Cup with the champion of the last World Cup, they want Messi to exist (in the tournament)," Hassan stated in his post-match interview. He also alluded to "support from all directions for the world champions."
Similar sentiments were echoed by Egypt's goal scorer Mostafa Ziko, who described the referee, Francois Letexier, as "unjust" and claimed the "cup has already been given" to Argentina. He apologized to the Egyptian fans, stating that the outcome was not entirely within the players' control.
FIFA's decision to appoint an all-Argentinian officiating team for France's quarter-final against Morocco has further fueled online speculation, though no concrete evidence of corruption or match manipulation has emerged against FIFA or its president, Gianni Infantino. FIFA president Infantino himself has faced accusations of bias, although he has maintained a stance of neutrality. He was seen lifting an Egyptian flag shortly after their elimination, an act interpreted by some as an attempt to counter favoritism claims.
Argentina's recent World Cup history includes a notable number of penalties awarded, with eight in their last 12 matches, a statistic that has drawn attention as they aim to defend their 2022 title. The team is set to face Switzerland in the quarterfinals.