FIFA reportedly sanctioned VAR referees after Algeria's controversial defeat to Argentina

FIFA reportedly sanctioned the VAR referees who officiated the Argentina-Algeria match (3-0) during the 2026 World Cup, after the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) contested several controversial decisions. The information comes from Algerian journalist Hafid Derradji, according to whom the international body determined that the video referees should have invited the Polish referee Szymon Marciniak to review two specific incidents.

Twelve years after their last World Cup appearance, the Fennecs were defeated by a hat-trick from Lionel Messi. However, it is the match’s refereeing that has concentrated Algerian frustration. The FAF notably denounces a stamp by Messi on Aïssa Mandi’s calf that went unpunished, as well as an elbow from Alexis Mac Allister on Ibrahim Maza, also ignored by VAR.

Still according to Hafid Derradji, Mandi reportedly told those close to him that Marciniak had signaled to him immediately after the contact with Messi that a VAR review was underway. About thirty seconds later, play resumed without any foul being called.

The journalist also provides details on the organization of video refereeing during this 2026 World Cup: VAR decisions are centralized in a single operational center based in Dallas, United States, responsible for processing footage from all matches played on the North American continent.

These revelations, if confirmed, would constitute an implicit admission by FIFA that the two disputed incidents warranted closer examination. They do not change the result, but they fuel debate over the reliability of the centralized VAR system put in place for this tournament.