FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, has defended the performance of match officials at the FIFA World Cup, urging players, coaches and fans to avoid making unfounded allegations that question the integrity of referees.
Collina acknowledged that mistakes can occur during matches but stressed there is no justification for accusing officials of bias or dishonesty without credible evidence. He said criticism is part of football, but attacks on referees’ integrity undermine the game and the work of match officials.
He also praised referees for their professionalism and commitment throughout the tournament, saying they had performed under intense pressure while striving to apply the laws of the game fairly and consistently.
Collina defends World Cup referees, rejects bias allegations
FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, has defended the officiating in Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Egypt in the World Cup round of 16, firmly rejecting allegations of bias and insisting that match officials carried out their duties with complete independence.
In an interview published on FIFA’s website on Thursday, Collina acknowledged that refereeing decisions are often scrutinised but said criticism is part of football. However, he strongly condemned attempts to question the integrity of officials after Egypt raised concerns over the refereeing following its defeat to Argentina.
Collina said healthy debate over refereeing decisions is a natural part of football but insisted that accusations questioning the integrity of match officials are unacceptable.
“Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport,” he said.
The FIFA refereeing chief dismissed suggestions that officials could be influenced by outside figures, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials. Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president,” Collina said.
He warned that such claims could have serious consequences, exposing referees and their families to abuse and threats.
Egypt criticised the officiating after letting a two-goal lead slip in a 3-2 defeat to Argentina, with Enzo Fernandez scoring the winner in stoppage time. Head coach Hossam Hassan suggested the referee may have faced pressure to ensure Argentina remained in the tournament.
The Egyptian Football Association also expressed concern, saying several crucial decisions had raised questions over the consistency and fairness of the officiating.
Among Egypt’s complaints was the disallowing of Mostafa Zico’s second-half goal for an alleged foul in the build-up, which the federation described as non-existent. The team also argued that Mohamed Salah should have been awarded a free kick after a challenge moments before Argentina’s decisive goal.
Collina defended both decisions, saying VAR correctly intervened to rule out Zico’s goal after identifying a foul by Marwan Attia on Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez during the attacking phase.
“We believe that a foul is a foul,” Collina said. “If the referee misses it, the VAR has the authority to intervene, regardless of how obvious it appears.”
He also backed the decision not to award Egypt a penalty, saying the referee and VAR agreed that the contact between Salah and Julian Alvarez amounted to normal football contact rather than a foul.
Although some decisions will always be open to interpretation, Collina said FIFA was satisfied that VAR had been applied consistently and in accordance with the laws of the game throughout the tournament.
