“The referee belongs to FIFA, not Paris.” The French ambassador to Cairo responds to the controversy of the Egypt-Argentina match

The French ambassador to Cairo, Eric Chevalier, said about the controversy caused by the match between Egypt and Argentina in the 2026 World Cup, and the criticism that was directed at the arbitration decisions during the confrontation, especially since the match referee was French, that any objection related to arbitration should be directed to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), and not to France.

In statements reported by Egyptian media, Chevalier explained, during a press conference, today, Monday, that: “The referee who officiated the match was not France, but rather affiliated with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), and if there is any comment or objection to the arbitration decisions, it must be directed to FIFA.”

Chevalier added that he expected the Egyptian team to give a strong performance, which they did achieve, noting that he followed the match from inside one of the popular cafes in Egypt.

He stressed that the Egyptian fans have every right to feel proud of what the national team presented during the tournament, as the Egyptian team’s performance was very honorable and left a positive impression on all those who followed the match, he said.