Unexpected controversy at the 2026 World Cup: Referee for Argentina vs. Egypt match suspended

As the 2026 World Cup reaches a fever pitch, another major refereeing controversy has emerged. Renowned French referee François Letexier will no longer officiate matches at this tournament. FIFA has unexpectedly removed him from the list of referees assigned to the remaining games.

Zamin.uz analyzes this sensational decision and the real reasons behind it.

Official reason: Conflict of interest?

Motivaciones Fútbol reports that FIFA has officially removed the 37-year-old referee from the list of officials working for the remainder of the competition.

The organization explained its decision as follows:

• Reason: Potential conflict of interest.

• Details: The French national team is still competing for the World Cup title. Therefore, the participation of a French referee in other matches should not give rise to any doubts or suspicions.

However, observers point out that this decision may involve more than just a 'conflict of interest'.

Egyptian outrage: Was there pressure on FIFA?

In fact, this decision may have been triggered by a controversial match in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

After the intense match between Argentina and Egypt (3:2), the Egyptian Football Association filed an official complaint with FIFA against the refereeing team led by François Letexier.

Egyptian objections: They argue that the disallowing of a goal and the failure to award a penalty in their favor were unjust, emphasizing that these episodes decided the fate of the match.

According to several sports sources, it is possible that FIFA decided to remove the French referee from the remaining matches of the tournament due to strong organizational pressure from the Egyptian Football Federation.

François Letexier: The youngest final referee in Euro history

This decision came as a surprise to the football community, as Letexier was considered one of the most prestigious and highly-rated referees of this World Cup.

His main achievements:

• Euro 2024 Final: Officiated the decisive match between Spain and England.

• Record: Recorded as the youngest head referee to officiate a final match in the history of European Championships.

It is natural that the premature departure of such a high-profile and respected referee from the World Cup will further fuel debates surrounding FIFA's refereeing system.