The Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, confirmed that the referees of the 2026 World Cup are performing their duties with complete independence. He stressed that allegations questioning their integrity or claiming external influence on their decisions have no place in football.
اضافة اعلان
Collina’s remarks came during an interview published on FIFA's official website following the conclusion of the tournament's Round of 16.
When asked about his overall assessment of refereeing performances in the tournament, he said: "Let us start by noting that we have played 50% more matches so far compared to the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Yet, there are still eight major matches remaining. Overall, we are pleased with what has been achieved. However, with such a large number of matches played over a relatively short period, it is natural that some things do not always go as expected. When that happens, everyone is ready to work harder to ensure full readiness for the next match."
He added: "Of course, constructive debate over refereeing decisions will always be part of football. However, baseless allegations have no place in our sport, and no one has the right to question the integrity of World Cup referees. When this occurs, it can trigger reactions that lead to threats against referees and their families, which is unacceptable."
He continued: "Similarly, no one can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by any party, not even by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. He has always shown full support for the FIFA refereeing team, granting us complete trust to work with absolute independence. Referees make their decisions honestly, and just like players and coaches, they always strive to perform at their best."
Regarding VAR protocols during the tournament, he stated: "Normally, during tournaments, we prefer not to comment on specific incidents. However, after we recently clarified what referees will focus on when attacking players try to block an opposing goalkeeper from moving or defending their goal, we also saw a need to clarify another issue that has caused a lot of debate. After any goal is scored, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviews the attacking possession phase leading to the goal. If an offense is detected during the build-up and the referee deems it directly impacted the scoring of the goal, the VAR recommends an on-field review. There is no time limit or specific distance between the offense and the goal for it to be reviewed."
What about the Egypt-Argentina match?
Collina explained that one of the incidents requiring the application of this protocol occurred during the Argentina-Egypt match, saying: "An example of this was the Argentina vs. Egypt match, where the Egyptian player No. 19, Marwan Attia, clearly stepped on the foot of the Argentine player No. 6, Lisandro Martínez. We believe a foul remains a foul, regardless of whether it seems obvious to everyone or not. If the referee on the pitch misses it, the VAR has the authority to intervene."
The Referees Committee Chairman added: "Conversely, if no offense is spotted in the build-up, the VAR informs the referee. Stepping on an opponent's foot is a foul, but if a defender touches the ball first and then natural contact occurs as a result of the momentum of play, no foul is called."
He continued: "Another example of this came at the end of the same match, where both the referee and the VAR deemed the contact between Egyptian player No. 10, Mohamed Salah, and Argentine player No. 10, Julián Álvarez, to be natural football contact that did not warrant a foul."
Collina concluded his statements by saying: "Naturally, there will always be an element of personal interpretation in some refereeing decisions, but we are pleased with how this principle has been applied throughout the tournament's matches."
Al Jazeera
