The conversation about biasness in refereeing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 has taken center stage, especially after FIFA stepped in to support the officials following Argentina's thrilling victory over Egypt. Football news was buzzing with accusations of bias and VAR disputes. Pierluigi Collina, FIFA's Chief Refereeing Officer, came out swinging in defense of the match officials, firmly dismissing any claims of outside influence. He also clarified why Egypt's goal was disallowed during their nail-biting 3-2 Round of 16 loss to Argentina after a VAR review.

Collina, a former Italian referee who has been leading FIFA's referees committee since 2017, felt it was necessary to address the public after several decisions faced backlash during the tournament. He acknowledged that, “Equally, nobody can claim that FIFA Refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA President [Gianni Infantino]. Match officials make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always try to do their best.”

He also cautioned against the harassment of referees and their families in the wake of controversial calls.

From VAR Drama To Bias Claims: The Controversy Around Argentina's Win

The storm erupted right after Argentina pulled off an incredible comeback, overcoming a two-goal deficit to defeat Egypt and secure a spot in the quarter-finals. Lionel Messi played a pivotal role, scoring once and assisting another goal as the defending champions staged a dramatic late turnaround. But soon, the focus shifted from their impressive comeback to the officiating decisions. Egypt's coach, Hossam Hassan, didn't hold back, accusing FIFA of showing favoritism towards Argentina and even questioning if the tournament's structure was designed to benefit Messi's team.

Egypt stunned Argentina with an early goal, and Mostafa Ziko seemed to double their lead with a stunning finish. However, that goal was disallowed after VAR intervened, revealing a foul by Marwan Attia on Lisandro Martinez earlier in the play. Collina stood by the decision, explaining that there are no time or distance limits when it comes to reviewing fouls in the lead-up to a goal.

The drama didn't stop there; Egypt also called for a penalty when Mohamed Salah went down under pressure from Julian Alvarez, but no penalty was given. Enzo Fernandez later netted the winning goal for Argentina. Critics have pointed out Argentina's path to the quarter-finals, which included wins over Cape Verde and Egypt, before facing Switzerland. FIFA, on the other hand, insists that the draw and match outcomes were purely based on merit, not favoritism.