FIFA to Wait Until End of World Cup 2026 to Sanction Critics Who Crossed the Line

Complaints from coaches and players have been a constant feature at the World Cup in North America, and while FIFA has undoubtedly taken note, much like four years ago in Qatar, they will likely wait until the tournament concludes before sanctioning those who have crossed the line. According to The Athletic, FIFA has declined to comment on any current or future disciplinary actions against the most vocal critics of officiating, but such measures are expected in the coming weeks and months.

Among the critics is Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan, following Argentina's 3-2 victory in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup on July 7th. His outrage was directed at French referee François Letexier. “We were better in every aspect, but the result… there were factors that influenced it, not external, but internal on the field and external before the match,” Hossam stated after the game, adding: “It’s clear that the pressure exerted on the referee before the match by the Argentine team was successful, because they objected to the referee, mentioning France and the French national team. It seems there was pressure from the Argentine side on the referee, which led to this outcome.”

Swiss defender Manuel Akanji criticized Portuguese referee João Pinheiro after his team's 1-3 loss to Argentina. Pinheiro sent off Breel Embolo after a VAR review, and Argentina subsequently scored two goals in extra time to advance to the semi-finals. “When the referee is against you, it becomes difficult,” Akanji commented, adding: “Every little thing was called against us. Every fall and every foul by the Argentines went unpunished. I usually don’t say anything against referees, but I’ve never experienced such a one-sided match as today.”

England coach Thomas Tuchel also complained about the officiating, particularly regarding the red card for defender Jarell Quansah in the victory over Mexico. In that instance, the referee was Australia's Alireza Faghani. “It wasn’t good enough,” Tuchel said of the officiating. “He can send off any team at any moment. It’s just not good enough. It’s inconsistent and unreliable,” the German specialist added.