New york: The repercussions of the 2026 World Cup continue as criticism and accusations against FIFA and the United States, the host country, intensify. These accusations stem from controversial refereeing and administrative decisions that have sparked widespread debate and prompted calls for independent investigations.
According to Yemen News Agency, amidst growing condemnation of what has been described as "systematic bias" towards certain teams, serious questions have arisen regarding the integrity of the competition and the independence of refereeing decisions, particularly in matches marred by egregious errors that affected results, leading some teams to file official complaints.
Observers warn that the continuation of this situation could severely damage the reputation of the world's biggest tournament and bring back memories of the corruption scandals that plagued FIFA in recent years. The tournament has transformed from a global sporting event into an arena of escalating political and legal controversy, as criticism has multiplied on several fronts, including record-breaking ticket prices, which have cast doubt on the integrity of the competition and sparked widespread international debate.
In the latest developments, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the US government of employing a policy of "cheating and circumventing the rules" during its hosting of the tournament. He asserted that its behavior reflects a political approach based on intimidation and creating obstacles for competitors. In a post on the "X" platform, he affirmed that Iran rejects these practices and will continue to defend its rights.
Similarly, several members of the European Parliament have called for an investigation into the role of FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the decision to suspend the ban imposed on US national team striker Folarin Balogun, allegedly due to pressure exerted by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
According to a letter circulating within the European Parliament, MEPs have called on the football associations of the 27 EU member states to formally request FIFA to investigate the decision-making process that overturned the suspension and to determine whether political pressure influenced the course of the case.
The initiative came after Balogun played in the United States' match against Belgium in the World Cup round of 16, despite receiving a red card in the previous match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, this red card would have automatically resulted in a one-match suspension, which FIFA later suspended.
Trump had previously acknowledged contacting Infantino regarding Balogun's red card, describing the decision as "unfair," but stated that he did not ask the FIFA president to take any action.
Following the decision, Trump thanked Infantino for what he called "correcting a great injustice," while the FIFA president confirmed that he had informed the US president during the call that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee is an independent body.
The decision sparked widespread criticism in Europe, with UEFA describing it as 'unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable.' The Belgian Football Association also filed a formal protest regarding Balogun's eligibility to play in the match.
European Commissioner for Sport, Glenn Micallef, deemed the reversal of the ban 'a mistake,' while former UEFA Director of Media and Public Affairs, William Gaillard, called it a 'scandal' and a violation of FIFA rules and regulations.
The initiative is being spearheaded by a group of MEPs, including Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters, and Nils Vogelsang, who are currently collecting signatures to formally send the letter to European football associations.
The signatories demanded that senior FIFA officials be held accountable if evidence emerges of a breach of the rules of political neutrality, they also recalled a previous letter signed by 50 MEPs calling for an investigation into the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump.
On the refereeing front, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) filed an official complaint with FIFA against French referee Fran§ois Letexier and his team, protesting their decisions in the round of 16 match between Egypt and Argentina, which ended in a 3-2 victory for Argentina after a dramatic comeback.
Egyptian FA President Hani Abu Rida confirmed that the complaint included a demand for an investigation and the exclusion of the refereeing team from officiating the remainder of the tournament. He indicated that the referee's decisions directly affected the outcome of the match, most notably the disallowed Egyptian goal and the failure to award a penalty in the final minutes.
For his part, Egyptian national team coach Hossam Hassan expressed his dissatisfaction with what he described as "refereeing injustice," hinting at a desire to ensure Argentina's continued participation in the competition. Meanwhile, former German referee Patrick Ettrich supported Egypt's claim for a penalty, stating that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) failed to review the incident.
French refereeing expert Tony Chapron confirmed on Thursday that the decision to disallow Egypt's goal against Argentina was completely wrong and incorrect.
Chapron strongly criticized the joint decision made by the French refereeing duo, Fran§ois Letixier and VAR referee J©r´me Brisard, to disallow the Pharaohs' goal, indicating that the decision disregarded the refereeing standards adopted by FIFA for the World Cup.
In statements to the French newspaper Sport, Chapron said, "Until the 60th minute of the match, everything was going well, and the referee's performance was consistent and successful in a match that reached its peak of difficulty and complexity."
He added, "From the beginning, Letixier adopted the philosophy announced by FIFA, which is to allow play to continue and avoid frequent whistles. Therefore, he tolerated some strong physical challenges and managed the match according to this flexible approach."
The French expert continued his questioning, expressing his disapproval: "Should the VAR have intervened to disallow Egypt's goal? The answer is: no, absolutely not. Since the start of the tournament, I've seen over a thousand similar situations, and not one of them was called a foul." He added, "The primary and true culprit behind this crisis is J©r´me Brisard (the VAR referee), because he put his colleague, Letexier, in an extremely difficult and awkward position. Once the on-field referee is called to the monitor, he's under psychological pressure and feels obligated to justify the call by awarding a foul. Objectively speaking, yes, there might have been contact, but within the context of the standards of this match and the tournament as a whole, the goal should never have been disallowed."
He explained, "A full 18 seconds passed between the contact and the ball hitting the net. During that time, the ball traveled over 100 meters, and the Argentinian players had at least four clear opportunities to stop the attack and regain possession, but they failed. How can we go back on our decision after all that?"
These developments come at a time of increasing criticism directed at the tournament's management, amid growing calls to ensure the independence of refereeing and administrative decisions and to maintain the integrity of the competitions away from any political influences.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing increasing pressure after the human rights organization FairSquare announced its intention to file a formal complaint with the International Olympic Committee's Ethics Commission, accusing him of "repeated violations of the principle of political neutrality."
According to the French newspaper L'€°quipe, the organization stated on Wednesday that the complaint is based on Infantino's close relationship with US President Donald Trump. FairSquare argues that his actions contradict the obligations imposed on IOC members, which stipulate the need to operate independently, free from political and commercial interests, as outlined in the Olympic Charter.
The organization cited several controversial incidents, including Infantino's participation in a meeting called the "Peace Council" at Trump's invitation last February, as well as his appearance wearing a hat bearing the words "USA" and the numbers "45-47," a reference to the US president's two terms in office.
As fans from around the world flock to the United States, Canada, and Mexico to watch the matches live, resale platforms have seen a dramatic increase in ticket prices for the final stages, especially the semi-finals and final.
Tickets for the final match top the list of the most expensive tickets for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19.
Official prices for final tickets range from $2,030 to $7,875 depending on the category, but prices on the secondary market have reached unprecedented levels, ranging from $5,900 to over $38,000 per ticket.
Tickets for the semi-final matches ranked second in terms of price, with the two matches to be held at AT and T Stadium in Dallas and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Official ticket prices for these matches range from $420 to $3,295, while resale prices can reach around $9,500.
The quarter-final matches, which will be held in cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, and Kansas City, come in third place.
Official ticket prices for these matches range from $275 to $1,775, while some resale prices can reach as high as $4,000.
These prices remain subject to change due to the dynamic pricing system and fluctuating demand. Ticket prices tend to increase as the tournament nears its end and the teams competing for the title become clearer.
Amidst mounting criticism, the 2026 World Cup faces unprecedented challenges regarding the credibility of its management and the independence of FIFA's decisions, as calls for transparent investigations into allegations of political and refereeing interference intensify, while the competition continues on the pitch, the controversy surrounding the off-field issues remains a major theme of this year's tournament, with all eyes on the investigations and FIFA's response to the growing accusations.