FIFA Referees Committee, Led by Colina, Clarifies Cases from Egypt vs. Argentina Match

SadaNews - The head of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, confirmed that the referees at the 2026 World Cup are performing their duties with complete independence, emphasizing that claims questioning their integrity or alleging external influence on their decisions have no place in football.

Collina's statements came in an interview published on the official FIFA website, following the conclusion of the Round of 16 matches.

Collina Evaluates the Performance of 2026 World Cup Referees

When asked about his overall assessment of the referees' performance in the tournament, he said: "Let’s start by noting that we have played a number of matches that is 50% greater compared to the 2022 Qatar World Cup; however, there are still eight major matches remaining. Overall, we are happy with what has been achieved. But with such a large number of matches being played in a relatively short period, it’s natural that not everything will go as expected. When that happens, everyone is prepared to work harder to ensure full readiness for the next match."

He added: "Of course, constructive discussion about refereeing decisions will remain part of football, but claims not based on any evidence have no place in our sport, and no one has the right to question the integrity of the World Cup referees. When that happens, it can lead to reactions that reach the point of threatening referees and their families, which is unacceptable."

He continued: "Similarly, no one can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by any party, not even FIFA President Gianni Infantino. He has always shown his full support for the FIFA refereeing team, granting us full confidence to work with complete independence. The referees make their decisions honestly, and like players and coaches, they always strive to give their best."

Regarding the video assistant referee protocols during the tournament, he said: "Typically, during tournaments, we prefer not to comment on specific incidents, but after we recently clarified what referees would focus on when attacking players try to prevent the opposing goalkeeper from moving or defending their goal, we also saw the need to clarify another issue that raised a lot of controversy. After any goal is scored, the video assistant referee (VAR) reviews the offensive possession phase leading to the goal. If a foul is detected during the build-up, and the referee sees that it directly impacted the scoring, the VAR recommends reviewing the footage on the pitch screen. There is no time limit or specific distance between the foul and the goal for it to be reviewed."

What About the Egypt vs. Argentina Match?

Collina clarified that one of the cases warranting the application of this protocol occurred during the Argentina vs. Egypt match, saying: "An example of this is the match between Argentina and Egypt, where the Egyptian player number 19, Marwan Attiyah, clearly stepped on the foot of the Argentine player number 6, Lisandro Martinez. We believe that a foul remains a foul, regardless of whether it appears clear to everyone or not. If the referee did not see it on the pitch, the VAR has the authority to intervene."

The head of the referees committee added: "Conversely, if no foul is detected in the build-up to the attack, the VAR informs the referee of that. Stepping on an opponent's foot is considered a foul, but if the defender touches the ball first and then a natural contact resulting from the play occurs, no foul is counted."

He continued: "An example of this also came at the end of the same match, where both the referee and the VAR saw the contact between the Egyptian player number 10, Mohamed Salah, and the Argentine player number 10, Julian Alvarez, as a natural contact in the context of football, which did not warrant the awarding of a foul."

Collina concluded his statements by saying: "Naturally, there will always be an element of personal judgment in some refereeing decisions, but we are happy with the way this principle was applied throughout the tournament."

Source: Al Jazeera