FIFA’s chief refereeing officer, Pierluigi Collina, has formally defended the officiating crew involved in Argentina’s 3-2 win against Egypt during the World Cup round of 16. Addressing the controversy, Collina emphasized that match officials operate independently of the governing body, stating that no one, including the FIFA President, can influence their decisions. He expressed concern that questioning the integrity of officials can lead to threats against them and their families, noting that such reactions are unacceptable.
The match featured several contentious moments, including a decision to disallow what appeared to be Egypt’s second goal following a VAR review that identified a foul in the build-up. Despite this, Egypt managed to secure a 2-0 lead before Argentina mounted a comeback to level the score. Later in the game, a pivotal sequence saw Julian Alvarez win the ball from Mo Salah inside the Egyptian penalty area. While Egypt’s players appealed for a penalty, the referee allowed play to continue, and VAR did not intervene. Alvarez subsequently assisted Lautaro Martinez, who set up Enzo Fernandez for the winning goal.
Following the defeat, Egypt manager Hossam Hassan criticized the officiating, alleging that the outcome was impacted by both internal and external factors and suggesting the referee faced pressure regarding the Argentina side. Collina, in a rare move to address specific match incidents, clarified the officiating standards. He explained that the Italian ex-referee noted that “There is no defined limit regarding either the distance from goal or the amount of time between the incident and the goal,” when the VAR is checking to see if a foul was committed that led to the attacking possession phase. Furthermore, he noted that while stepping on an opponent’s foot constitutes a foul, a defender making normal contact after touching the ball first does not.
Collina stated that the decision not to intervene during the Alvarez play was correct. While acknowledging that subjectivity remains a part of the game, he expressed satisfaction with how these officiating principles have been applied throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, as Argentina prepares to face Switzerland in the quarterfinals, tournament officiating remains under scrutiny. FIFA has announced that the upcoming quarterfinal match between France and Morocco will be officiated by an entirely Argentine crew, marking the first time in this tournament that a full team of officials from a single nation has been assigned to a match, though the VAR team will consist of officials from a different country.
But Collina took the unusual step of going over the plays in the interview.
"Usually, during a competition, we prefer not to focus on specific incidents," he said. "However, as we recently clarified what match officials would be looking for when attacking players try to prevent the opposing goalkeeper from moving and being able to defend the goal, we also wanted to clarify another topic that has generated debate."
