After Egypt’s heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 on July 7, emotions ran high across the country. Egypt had looked on course for a historic victory after taking a two-goal lead, only for Argentina to mount a dramatic late comeback with three goals in the closing stages.
But once the final whistle blew, the conversation quickly shifted from the scoreline to the referee, with many fans arguing that several controversial decisions played a major role in the outcome. The Egyptian Football Association has since filed an official complaint, raising one big question: what can FIFA actually do next?
Why Fans Believe the Match Was Unfair
Several refereeing decisions during the match quickly became the center of debate.
One of the biggest talking points came when Egypt had a goal by Mostafa Zico ruled out following a VAR review, which determined there had been a foul earlier in the build-up.
At the same time, many supporters argued that Mohamed Salah was fouled inside the box shortly before Argentina scored what proved to be the winning goal. Fans believed Egypt should have been awarded a penalty, but play continued, leaving many frustrated by what they saw as inconsistent officiating.
Another incident that fueled the controversy involved Argentina’s Nahuel Molina, who appeared to strike Emam Ashour in the face while the Egyptian midfielder wasn’t even in possession of the ball. Despite the collision, no disciplinary action was taken, adding to claims that Egypt was not receiving equal treatment throughout the match.
Egypt Officially Files a Complaint
Following the defeat, the Egyptian Football Association formally requested that FIFA investigate the officiating.
EFA president Hany Abo Rida submitted an official complaint against French referee François Letexier and his officiating team, arguing that a series of serious refereeing mistakes and what he described as “double standards” directly influenced the outcome of the match.
According to the complaint, those decisions ultimately contributed to Egypt’s elimination from the World Cup.
Can FIFA Order a Replay?
While the complaint has attracted widespread attention, FIFA’s rules make it very unlikely that the match itself would be replayed.
Under the FIFA Laws of the Game, decisions made by the referee during a match are considered final. Even if those decisions later prove controversial or incorrect, FIFA rarely orders a replay because of refereeing mistakes, disputed penalties, or subjective calls.
Instead, FIFA can review the performance of the officiating team and, if necessary, take disciplinary action or remove referees from future matches.
Has FIFA Ever Allowed a Rematch Before?
Although extremely rare, FIFA has ordered replays in exceptional circumstances.
One notable example came during qualification for the 2006 World Cup, when the original match between Uzbekistan and Bahrain, played on September 3, 2005, was annulled after FIFA determined the referee had made a rare technical error in applying the Laws of the Game. The match was replayed in full.
A more recent case involved the 2018 World Cup qualifiers between South Africa and Senegal. FIFA ordered the match to be replayed after referee Joseph Lamptey was found guilty of match manipulation and received a lifetime ban.
These cases, however, involved either technical misapplication of the rules or proven corruption, not controversial judgment calls made during open play.
So, What Happens Next?
For now, FIFA is expected to review Egypt’s complaint and examine the refereeing performance. While history suggests that overturning the result or ordering a replay is highly unlikely, the controversy has ensured that Egypt’s World Cup exit will be remembered for more than just the scoreline.
Despite the heartbreaking ending, the Pharaohs delivered one of their strongest performances on football’s biggest stage, fighting until the very end. They may be returning home with heavy chests, but they’ll do so with their heads held high, knowing they gave fans a team to be proud of both on and off the pitch.
We Said This: Don’t Miss… When Norway Beat Israel 5-0 and Donated Ticket Revenue to Gaza Relief
