As England prepares to face Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals, accusations of favorable treatment by FIFA towards the Argentine team have surfaced from several nations they have encountered. These claims range from contentious refereeing decisions to a perceived advantageous tournament path, contributing to a pervasive sentiment among competing teams.
Concerns were officially lodged with FIFA by Algeria after their match against Argentina, where Lionel Messi was involved in an incident where he appeared to stamp on opponent Aissa Mandi. Algeria's captain requested a review of the incident, which was not taken up by VAR officials. Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey commented that Messi was "very, very lucky" and that the challenge "endangered the player’s safety." Algeria also alleged that Alexis Mac Allister committed an elbowing foul on Ibrahim Maza.
Similarly, Austria's manager Ralf Rangnick expressed dissatisfaction with officiating during Argentina's second group stage game. He stated that a foul by Mac Allister on Xaver Schlager went unchecked prior to Messi scoring a pivotal goal, suggesting the referee should have intervened.
Argentina's journey to the semi-finals has also drawn scrutiny regarding their opponents. FIFA's decision in December to tweak the World Cup draw, ensuring top-four ranked nations would be in separate quarters, meant that teams winning their groups would avoid each other until the semi-finals. Argentina's path to the semi-finals included matches against Cape Verde (ranked 67th), Egypt (ranked 29th), and Switzerland (ranked 19th), with critics arguing this route avoided major contenders.
Egypt reacted strongly after their last-16 match, with manager Hossam Hassan accusing FIFA of "rigging" the tournament. He cited a disallowed goal for Egypt and a penalty appeal that was not reviewed, which occurred moments before Argentina scored the winning goal in stoppage time. Hassan suggested that marketing considerations and a desire to keep Messi in the tournament might be influencing outcomes, stating, "football is different from what happens in the stadium when we are playing against the world champions. There is support from all directions for the world champions. Support and marketing."
Switzerland's camp also voiced strong grievances following their quarter-final defeat. They accused referees of being "one-sided" and "against" them, particularly concerning the dismissal of Breel Embolo for a second yellow card after simulation. Despite the rule allowing for mistaken identity reviews to correct decisions, Swiss players felt the officiating consistently favored Argentina, with defender Manuel Akanji stating, "Every little thing was called against us. Every dive and every foul by the Argentinians went unpunished."
Further controversy arose when Lautaro Martinez, already on a yellow card, celebrated a goal by jumping into the crowd against Switzerland. While the decision to book a player for celebration is at the referee's discretion, the leniency shown, in the context of other decisions, has fueled discontent.
Argentina has also faced no repercussions for chants referencing the Falkland Islands, a subject that FIFA rules strictly prohibit in tournament venues. Players sang songs that included lines such as 'for the Malvinas,' Argentina's name for the islands, and later declared they would beat England "for the Falklands."
FIFA has formally denied any claims of influence on refereeing decisions. Chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina stated, "Nobody can claim that FIFA Refereeing can be influenced by anyone. Match officials make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always try to do their best." In defense of the organization, some point to the fact that Egypt held a 2-0 lead against Argentina with 11 minutes remaining, questioning the logic of a "fixed" match where the favored team was so close to elimination.
However, the cumulative effect of various decisions and past instances, such as the wildcard slot given to Messi's Inter Miami for a future Club World Cup, have led to a degree of skepticism regarding FIFA's integrity and decision-making processes. These ongoing discussions and accusations contribute to a backdrop of controversy surrounding Argentina's World Cup campaign.