Egypt's Football Association (EFA) has filed an official complaint against the officiating in its 3-2 round of 16 defeat to Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating it "cannot remain silent" over what it described as unfair and biased decisions. The EFA's statement came a day after a stunning comeback on Tuesday saw Argentina — the defending champions — overturn a two-goal deficit in just 13 minutes to advance to the quarter-finals, in what many are calling one of the most dramatic reversals in World Cup history.

At the centre of the dispute is a VAR review that disallowed what appeared to be Egypt's second goal in the 58th minute. Referees ruled that Egyptian player Marwan Attia had fouled Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez in the buildup to the goal, negating it entirely. Egypt had led 2-0 going into the final stages, but Lionel Messi assisted Cristian Romero's goal in the 79th minute to begin Argentina's comeback, with two further goals sealing a 3-2 victory. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan — who separately made headlines for calling attention to Palestinian suffering at a post-match press conference — also signalled what he described as racial abuse during the game, raising his arms in an "X" shape after Argentina's winner.

FIFA's chief of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, pushed back firmly against the EFA's allegations. He defended the disallowed goal decision, stating that Attia "clearly treads on the foot" of Martínez and that "a foul is a foul" regardless of how far from goal it occurs. Collina also warned that unfounded accusations against referees could endanger officials and their families. "Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials," he said.

Adding a separate layer of controversy to the aftermath, Argentina players were filmed singing a fan chant — known as "La Estrella de la Cuarta" or "The Fourth Star" — in the dressing room after the match. The song references the Malvinas, the name Argentina uses for the Falkland Islands, an archipelago in the South Atlantic that was the subject of a 74-day war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982. FIFA confirmed it would not take disciplinary action against Argentina over the chant.

The combination of Egypt's formal complaint, the refereeing controversy, and the Falklands song has ensured the match remains deeply contested off the pitch. The EFA said defending the rights of its national team was "a responsibility that we carry with full conviction and determination," signalling the dispute is unlikely to be resolved quietly.