Collina: No One Can Question the Integrity of World Cup Officials

Pierluigi Collina, the head of FIFA’s refereeing department, addressed the media ahead of the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, defending match officials and clarifying VAR protocols. “We’ve played 50 percent more matches than we did in Qatar in 2022, and there are still eight games to go. Overall, we’re satisfied. But with so many matches in a short window, it’s normal that some things don’t go as expected. When that happens, we work harder to ensure full readiness for the next game,” the Italian said. Collina stressed that while constructive discussion of decisions is part of football, unfounded accusations have no place in the sport. “No one can question the integrity of World Cup match officials. When that happens, it can trigger threats against them and their families. That is wrong.” He also addressed two incidents from the Argentina versus Egypt match. Collina stated that VAR was correct to intervene when Egypt's Marwan Attia stepped on the foot of Argentina's Lisandro Martínez. “A foul is a foul. Whether it looks obvious or not, if the referee missed it, VAR can step in.” Conversely, he backed the decision not to penalize a later incident involving Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Argentina’s Julián Álvarez, describing it as normal football contact. “There will always be an element of subjectivity in decisions, but we are satisfied with how this principle has been applied throughout the tournament,” Collina concluded.