World Cup 2026: Egypt Coach Tears Into FIFA After Heartbreaking Defeat to Argentina
- Egypt coach Hossam Hassan publicly accused FIFA of rigging his side's Round of 16 defeat to Argentina at the 2026 World Cup
- The Pharaohs surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to Argentina, with Hassan receiving a yellow card late in the contest
- The tactician questioned why nations were invited to participate if the outcomes were predetermined in favour of certain teams
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Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has launched a scathing attack on FIFA, publicly accusing the world football governing body of rigging his side's 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Argentina.
Hassan made the remarks in a post-match interview following Egypt's dramatic 3-2 defeat to the defending champions on July 7, 2026.
Source: Getty Images
FIFA accused of rigging World Cup for Argentina
Egypt had appeared to be heading for one of the tournament's biggest upsets after racing into a 2-0 lead, only for a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina to overturn the deficit and advance to the quarter-finals.
Hassan, who was booked late in the match, showed no intention of tempering his frustration when he faced the cameras afterwards.
The 59-year-old said, as quoted by Micky Jnr on X:
"I will say what's on my mind regardless of the consequences because I don't care," he said.
"This was clearly a rigged match and the whole world saw it."
The Egypt coach went further, directing his criticism at FIFA's broader tournament structure:
"If they want Argentina to win so badly, why call everyone to come and participate?"
While Hassan faced criticism after his side surrendered a 2-0 lead, much of the post-match discussion centred on referee François Letexier and the use of VAR.
The biggest flashpoint came when Egypt had a goal ruled out after a video review for a foul on Lisandro Martínez in the build-up.
Watch Egypt's disallowed goal, as shared on X:
Many also believed the Pharaohs should have been awarded a penalty moments before Argentina launched the attack that ended with Enzo Fernández's winning goal, as cited by Sky Sports.
Fans react to Hassan's attack on FIFA
As expected, Hassan's extraordinary outburst resonated strongly across social media, drawing a wave of support from African football followers in particular.
@KabeloMak_ remarked:
"He's lowkey correct, but he should also take responsibility for how his defenders crumbled under pressure."
@sbuda231 declared:
"Say it, my man. FIFA is corrupt."
@Khumbu_M wrote:
"I hate to agree with anyone from the North African team, but he is right. It's rigged and scripted by FIFA."
@WehelieAli added:
"It was a daylight robbery, Egypt game is rigged by the game officials, corrupted World Cup."
Meanwhile, FIFA had not issued an official response to Hassan's allegations at the time of publishing.
Source: Getty Images
Argentina progresses to World Cup quarter-finals
Argentina's victory has kept its dream of becoming the first nation since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 to win consecutive World Cup titles alive.
According to Al Jazeera, La Albiceleste will face Switzerland in the quarter-finals in Kansas City on Saturday, July 11.
For Lionel Scaloni's side, the focus now turns to fixing the issues exposed in a difficult encounter, having endured another tense battle against Cabo Verde in the Round of 32.
Fans accuse Egypt-Argentina referee of bias
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that many fans questioned the officiating after Egypt's defeat to Argentina.
Supporters believed a key refereeing decision influenced the outcome of the match.
Source: YEN.com.gh
