The Egyptian Football Association has taken formal action against the officiating of Egypt's FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash with Argentina, with EFA President Hany Abo Rida submitting an official complaint to FIFA against French referee François Letexier, calling for a full investigation into the refereeing decisions that influenced the match.

Official Complaint to FIFA

The complaint follows Egypt's objections to several key decisions during the match, which ended in a 3-2 victory for Argentina after the Pharaohs surrendered their lead and exited the tournament.

Abo Rida stressed that the complaint extends beyond the referee himself to include the entire VAR team, arguing that a number of controversial incidents were not reviewed despite repeated appeals from the Egyptian side.

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According to the Egyptian FA, the national team was denied a legitimate goal and a clear penalty, with the failure to review those incidents having a direct impact on the outcome of the match. As a result, the federation has requested a formal investigation into the entire officiating crew and called for their removal from the remainder of the tournament should serious errors be confirmed.

Praise for the Players and an Apology to the Fans

Despite the disappointment, Abo Rida praised Egypt's players for their outstanding performance against the defending champions, describing their display as historic and saying they came close to achieving one of the country's greatest World Cup accomplishments.

He also apologized to Egyptian supporters for missing out on a place in the quarter-finals, while expressing his gratitude for the unwavering support provided by the fans, media, officials, and the country's leadership throughout the tournament.

Egyptian football fans are now awaiting FIFA's response to the complaint, with attention focused on whether the governing body will launch an official investigation into the controversial refereeing decisions that overshadowed one of the tournament's most dramatic Round of 16 matches.