2026 World Cup: FIFA sanctions VAR referees after Argentina-Algeria controversy

FIFA has taken action against the video referees who officiated during the Argentina-Algeria match (3-0), played Tuesday in Kansas City during the first day of the 2026 World Cup. This is what journalist Hafid Derradji claims, noting that the international federation “took the complaint into consideration” following the appeal filed by Algeria.

The Algerian Football Federation had officially contested the refereeing of Polish referee Szymon Marciniak and his assistants following the match. Two situations in particular fueled the controversy: a stamp by Lionel Messi on Aïssa Mandi, not sanctioned despite contact deemed dangerous, and an elbow from Alexis Mac Allister on Ibrahim Maza, which also went unpunished.

According to Derradji, the main responsibility lies with the VAR referees, stationed at the dedicated center in Dallas — a system retained for all tournament matches. They should have alerted Marciniak, particularly regarding the action involving Messi and Mandi, by referring the footage to the fourth official on the pitch.

The exact nature of the sanctions has not been specified. In such situations, FIFA typically proceeds by non-nomination: the referees in question are no longer assigned matches for the remainder of the tournament, a discreet but significant sidelining in the context of a World Cup.