VAR disallows Egypt goal against Argentina in 2026 World Cup

Argentina secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals by defeating Egypt 3-2 in a tense match. The game featured a pivotal moment where a potential Egyptian equalizer was disallowed following a VAR review.

The incident occurred early in the second half when Egypt's Marwan Ateya appeared to foul Argentina's Lisandro Martínez before regaining possession. Ateya then passed to Haissem Hassan, who set up Mohamed Salah. Salah assisted Mostafa Ziko, who scored what would have been Egypt's second goal.

However, the referee, French official François Letexier, was prompted by VAR, managed by compatriot Jerome Brisard, to review the play. The VAR review focused on Ateya's foul on Martínez, which had impeded the Argentine defender's ability to control the ball. Based on the 'APP' (Attacking Possession Phase) protocol, the referee overturned the goal.

The APP rule defines the period of play leading up to a potential reviewable incident. According to regulations, the VAR can review actions before a goal, penalty, or clear goal-scoring opportunity. The APP phase ends when the attacking team loses possession or the defending team gains controlled possession. In this case, the VAR determined that the foul occurred within the reviewable phase, leading to the annulment of Ziko's goal despite protests from the Egyptian team.