Egypt midfielder Mostafa Ziko has joined the growing chorus of criticism against the officiating in his team’s 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In a fiery post-match statement, Ziko accused the tournament of being rigged in favour of Argentina and strongly condemned the referee’s performance.
“Congratulations to Argentina on the World Cup; the tournament was rigged, they didn’t need anything else. The referee was unfair, unfair, unfair, unfair.”
Another Voice of Frustration
Ziko’s comments come shortly after Egypt coach Hossam Hassan launched a scathing attack on FIFA and match officials, accusing them of manipulating the game for commercial interests and to keep Lionel Messi in the tournament.
The match, which saw Egypt lead 2-0 before Argentina staged a dramatic comeback, was marred by controversial VAR decisions — most notably an Egypt goal that was disallowed after the ball had crossed the line, and questions surrounding a potential offside in Argentina’s opening goal.
Growing Controversy
The strong reactions from both the Egyptian coach and players have intensified debate around VAR consistency and perceived bias toward bigger teams and star players during the 2026 World Cup.
While Argentina advanced to the quarter-finals, Egypt’s elimination has been overshadowed by accusations of unfair treatment and poor officiating.
Mostafa Ziko’s blunt statement reflects the deep frustration within the Egyptian camp following what many believe was a heavily one-sided set of decisions.
