FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has dismissed claims of biased officiating in Argentina’s 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 win over Egypt, defending the match officials and insisting they operated with full independence.

Speaking in an interview published on FIFA’s official website, Collina said criticism of refereeing decisions is an accepted part of football but rejected allegations that questioned the integrity of officials. He stated that no individual, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino, could influence World Cup referees or their decisions.

Collina also warned that baseless accusations against referees could expose them and their families to threats. His remarks followed complaints from Egypt after their dramatic defeat, with officials and team management questioning several key calls during the match.

Egypt had built a 2-0 advantage before Argentina staged a comeback and secured a late victory through Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time goal. Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan suggested that external pressure may have influenced the referee, while the Egyptian Football Association claimed certain decisions affected the outcome of the match.

The main controversy involved Mostafa Zico’s disallowed goal, which was overturned after VAR detected a foul by Marwan Attia on Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez during the attacking phase. Collina defended the decision, explaining that VAR intervention is permitted when a clear foul is missed during live play.

He also supported the referee’s decision not to award Egypt a penalty after a challenge involving Mohamed Salah and Julian Alvarez, saying the contact was considered normal during play.

Although Collina acknowledged that some refereeing decisions may involve interpretation, he said FIFA was satisfied with how VAR procedures and officiating standards were applied throughout the tournament.