World Cup 2026: FIFA Axes Argentina vs Egypt Referee Before Semi-Finals
- FIFA ended François Letexier's World Cup campaign after the French referee oversaw the controversial Argentina-Egypt clash
- The decision was part of FIFA's normal referee rotation, with France reaching the semi-finals and conflict-of-interest rules coming into effect
- Egypt lodged an official complaint after disputing several key decisions, including a disallowed goal and a rejected penalty appeal
French referee François Letexier has been withdrawn from the remainder of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, days after overseeing the controversial Round of 16 clash between Argentina and Egypt.
Compatriot Clément Turpin has also left the tournament, while Jérôme Brisard remains the only French official still involved after serving exclusively as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Source: Getty Images
The decision follows widespread debate over Letexier's performance during Argentina's dramatic victory over Egypt, with many fans and pundits calling for FIFA to remove the officiating team from the tournament.
However, according to L'Equipe, the move is not a disciplinary action. Instead, FIFA's decision is in line with its long-standing policy of rotating referees out of the competition as it reaches the semi-final stage.
With France progressing to the last four of the World Cup, French referees are also being withdrawn to avoid any potential conflict of interest.
Letexier Oversaw One of the Tournament's Biggest Controversies
Letexier found himself at the centre of intense scrutiny after officiating Argentina's thrilling comeback victory over Egypt.
The Pharaohs looked set to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament after racing into a 2-0 lead.
However, Argentina mounted a remarkable comeback through goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez to book their place in the quarter-finals.
The match sparked major controversy over several refereeing decisions, particularly involving VAR.
With Argentina trailing 1-0, Egypt thought they had doubled their advantage after a counterattack led by Haissem Hassan ended with the ball in the net.
The goal was eventually ruled out following a VAR review, which determined that Lisandro Martinez had been fouled earlier in the attacking move.
According to the Laws of the Game, a goal cannot stand if a foul occurs during the phase of play that leads directly to the goal.
Watch Ziko's disallowed goal, as shared on X:
Egypt lodged official complaint with FIFA
Egypt's frustrations did not end there.
The Pharaohs also believed they should have been awarded a penalty after Mohamed Salah went down inside the box before Argentina scored the winning goal in stoppage time.
Those decisions left Egyptian players and officials furious after the final whistle.
Source: Getty Images
The Egyptian Football Association subsequently lodged an official complaint with FIFA, requesting an investigation into Letexier and calling for his entire officiating team to be removed from the remainder of the World Cup.
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan also accused the match officials of favouring Argentina and Lionel Messi, claiming they were helping the reigning champions in their quest to retain the World Cup.
Although Letexier's World Cup campaign has now come to an end, FIFA maintains that the departure of the French officials is part of its normal tournament rotation rather than punishment for the controversial Argentina-Egypt encounter.
Egypt earns $15 million after World Cup elimination
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Egypt's World Cup journey ended in disappointment, but the team will still receive a financial boost.
By reaching the Round of 16, Egypt earned $15 million in prize money under FIFA's tournament payout system.
Source: YEN.com.gh
