After the impressive match between Egypt and Argentina, where Argentina staged a thrilling comeback to secure their spot in the quarterfinals, the Egyptian team expressed their discontent and directly criticized FIFA, claiming that the tournament is "directed" for the current world champions to win.
"VAR did not intervene in the penalty, and the second goal was surprisingly disallowed. There was no review," said Hossam Hassan, coach of 'The Pharaohs'. Their top scorer, Mostafa Zico, was even more direct: "The tournament is directed. Congratulations to Argentina for the World Cup."
As if the scandal wasn't enough, social media exploded when FIFA officially announced a controversial referee assignment for the semifinal match between Morocco and France, the clear favorite: for the first time in World Cup history, the entire refereeing team will be composed of Argentines, including the fourth referee and the reserve.
The organization led by Gianni Infantino seems unable to avoid one controversy without stepping into another. After the infamous "Balogun case", where the forward had the chance to play in the round of 16 against Belgium following a "phone call" from Trump to FIFA, who even stated that "it was not a foul", a new episode arises with the appointment of the semifinal match between France and Morocco, where all officials will be of Argentine nationality.
It is a completely unusual decision: while it is true that the main referee, Facundo Tello, usually works with referees he trusts, it is unprecedented that the fourth referee and the reserve also share the same nationality. This is the first time such a situation has occurred in the major football event.
As expected, criticism has been directed towards the Argentine team and its federation. Argentina's path in the knockout stage has raised suspicions for many: Cape Verde, Egypt, and now Switzerland are seen as the hurdles before a potential semifinal against England or the surprising Norway of Erling Haaland, who just eliminated Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil.
With tensions running high both on and off the field, FIFA is facing an unprecedented credibility crisis. Through his X account, Javier Tebas has joined the criticism regarding the Balogun case, demanding that FIFA must "respect the rules and govern with transparency", always acting clearly to "not erode the fans' trust".