Argentina’s 3-2 win over Egypt sparks #Fifanic trend online, with critics accusing FIFA of inconsistent VAR use and biased officiating.
FIFA has come under heavy criticism after Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the hashtag #Fifanic and a wave of satirical memes dominating social media.
The controversial result triggered outrage among Egyptian supporters and prompted criticism from several well-known figures in the sporting world, many of whom questioned the officiating and the application of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
READ MORE: Messi leads Argentina to stunning 3-2 comeback win over Egypt
The Egyptian Football Association has reportedly lodged an official protest against French referee François Letexier and the match officials, claiming that several key decisions during the match were highly questionable.
Among the most outspoken critics was world chess legend Garry Kasparov, who accused FIFA of applying VAR inconsistently.
According to Kasparov, Egypt had a goal ruled out because of a foul that occurred well before the scoring sequence, while a similar incident involving Argentina later in the match was not reviewed in the same manner.
“VAR wasn’t used at all. FIFA once again looks like a corrupt joke that favours certain star players,” he wrote on X.
Former manager José Mourinho also weighed in on the controversy, suggesting the odds were stacked against Egypt throughout the match.
“When you’re playing against Argentina, even a 2-0 lead isn’t enough. You’re not just playing against 11 players, you’re also up against the referee’s whistle, the VAR room and the entire tournament narrative,” he said.
Former England striker Alan Shearer also questioned the consistency of the officiating after resharing comments from a BBC journalist on social media.
READ MORE: Egypt ‘cheated’ in World Cup exit to Messi’s Argentina, says Hassan
However, not everyone agreed that the officiating was flawed.
Former Select Group referee Andy Davies, who spent more than 12 seasons officiating in the Premier League and Championship and has experience working with VAR, defended several of the key decisions made during the match in his post-match review.
Regarding Egypt’s disallowed goal in the 62nd minute, Davies said VAR was right to recommend an on-field review after Egypt defender Marwan Attia was found to have both held Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez’s shirt and stepped on his foot during the build-up.
“A correct intervention by the VAR, and disallowing this goal was the right outcome.”
Davies said the foul had a direct impact on Argentina’s ability to defend the attack and, although it occurred higher up the pitch, it happened during the same phase of play that led to the goal.
He also addressed Egypt’s late appeals for two penalties, including one involving Alexis Mac Allister and another where Mohamed Salah claimed he had been fouled by Julián Álvarez.
According to Davies, neither incident reached the threshold required for VAR intervention.
“In a difficult end to the match for both the referee and VAR, I am comfortable they were correct in both situations.”
On the incident involving Salah, Davies said the contact did not amount to a foul.
“Salah tried to win a penalty rather than it being a foul challenge from Álvarez.”
He acknowledged there would inevitably be comparisons between the decision to disallow Egypt’s goal and the penalty appeals but argued that the situations were fundamentally different.
According to Davies, the earlier incident involved a defender stepping on an attacker’s foot while simultaneously holding his shirt, whereas the later challenge involved boot-to-boot contact caused by the momentum of both players.
Meanwhile, frustrated fans took to social media to vent their anger through a series of viral memes.
One of the most widely shared was the “Fifanic” meme, which spoofed the iconic Titanic movie poster by featuring Lionel Messi alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the film’s famous pose.
