The United States Department of Justice has initiated a large-scale investigation into alleged irregularities and corruption within the Argentine Football Association (AFA). The FBI, working with federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., and Miami, is leading the inquiry, which reportedly began its planning phase in 2025. The investigation centers on suspicious financial transactions amounting to about $300 million involving the AFA, with at least $260 million traced through accounts at major U.S. banks including Citibank, Synovus, Bank of America, JPMorgan, and PNC Bank. Around $57 million was transferred to shell companies with unclear origins and destinations.

As part of the probe, businessman Guillermo Tofoni has already been questioned for three hours via video conference, providing documents and information to U.S. authorities. However, investigators are primarily focused on AFA president Claudio Tapia, seeking to verify specific allegations against him. The investigation is now expanding beyond football into Argentina’s political circles, with plans to question several former officials from President Javier Milei’s government.

The U.S. Justice Department’s firm stance signals its intent to enforce transparency in Latin American football administration, though the report notes that Argentina’s World Cup performance will remain unaffected.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has officially extended the contract of national team coach Hossam Hassan following Egypt’s historic run in the World Cup. The decision, approved by the EFA board and announced by president Hany Abu Rida, secures Hassan’s position until 2030. Hassan, 59, took charge of the national team in February 2024 and led Egypt to the semifinals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. He revealed earlier that he had been managing the team without a formal contract since February.

Under Hassan’s leadership, Egypt achieved its first-ever World Cup victory, defeating New Zealand 3–1 in the group stage, and advanced to the knockout rounds for the first time since its debut in 1934. The team beat Australia in a penalty shootout to reach the round of 16, where they narrowly lost 3–2 to Argentina after leading 2–0 until the 78th minute.

Despite the elimination, Egypt’s spirited performance earned widespread praise, prompting the EFA to show long-term confidence in Hassan. Before coaching, he was one of Egypt’s football legends, holding the national record with 69 goals in 177 appearances.

France suffered a setback ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against Morocco after FIFA rejected their appeal to overturn Michael Olise’s yellow card. The Bayern Munich attacking midfielder had received the booking during the Round of 16 match against Paraguay following a clash with midfielder Matias Galarza. Video replays showed Olise pulling Galarza’s jersey before the opponent fell to the ground, prompting referee Ilgiz Tantashev of Uzbekistan to issue the caution.

According to French sports daily L’Équipe, the French Football Federation had requested FIFA to review the decision, but the governing body declined. France’s head coach Didier Deschamps confirmed the outcome during a pre-match press conference, stating that FIFA upheld the original ruling.

As a result, Olise must now play cautiously against Morocco, since another yellow card would trigger a one-match suspension. If France advance to the semifinals, he could miss a crucial match against either Spain or Belgium, making his discipline a key concern for the French coaching staff.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has intensified global debate over Egypt’s 3-2 loss to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16, claiming the North African team was “robbed.” His remarks came a day after the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) lodged a formal complaint with FIFA against French referee François Letexier, citing controversial decisions and the use of VAR during the match.

The most disputed moment occurred when Egypt’s Mostafa Zizo’s goal was disallowed after a VAR review found a foul 20 seconds earlier. Argentina later came from behind to win 3-2 and secure a quarterfinal spot. Mamdani made his comments during a New York bus service event, linking time-saving benefits for residents to having time to agree that “Egypt was robbed.”

The EFA stated that the refereeing and VAR errors undermined the integrity of the World Cup. An unnamed Egyptian player also told The Athletic that the tournament was “fixed,” alleging referee pressure from Argentina. The controversy continues to draw scrutiny from football analysts worldwide.

FIFA has provided an official explanation regarding two controversial VAR decisions during the World Cup round of 16 match between Egypt and Argentina. Egypt’s goal by Mostafa Zizo was disallowed after a VAR review found a foul by defender Marwan Attia on Argentina’s Lisandro Martínez during the buildup. The French referee Letexier agreed with the VAR assessment and canceled the goal. Later, Argentina’s winning goal by Enzo Fernández was upheld after VAR determined there was no foul on Mohamed Salah by Julián Álvarez inside the penalty area.

The report clarified that VAR reviews only four types of incidents: goals, penalties, direct red cards, and cases of mistaken identity. The system checks every frame at 50 frames per second, while the match ball transmits tracking data 500 times per second, ensuring no incident is missed. In Egypt’s case, the foul in the buildup led to the goal being ruled out, while Argentina’s goal stood because the contact between Salah and Álvarez was deemed incidental.

The explanation aimed to address widespread confusion over why one goal was canceled and the other allowed to stand.

A clash broke out between Brazil and Argentina football supporters in Mirsarai, Chattogram, on Tuesday night during the Argentina–Egypt match. The incident occurred in Tetoya village of Katachhara Union when a Brazil supporter, Mainuddin Mithu, celebrated Egypt’s goal, leading to an argument with Argentina supporter Mohammad Sakib. The dispute escalated into a physical fight, leaving both men injured. Mithu sustained a serious nose injury, while Sakib suffered a head wound.

Local residents took both injured men to Mirsarai Upazila Health Complex. The on-duty doctor, Raju Singh, confirmed that Mithu had severe bleeding from his nose and was later referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. As of Wednesday, both injured individuals remained under medical care at the hospital.

According to Jorarganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Halim, no formal complaint had been filed regarding the incident. He stated that police would take legal action if a complaint is received.

The Egyptian Football Association has lodged a written complaint with FIFA against French referee François Letexier and his officiating team following Egypt’s dramatic 3–2 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup round of 16 in Atlanta. Egypt, which led 2–0 until the 78th minute, conceded three late goals and was eliminated from the tournament. The federation’s letter, signed by president Hany Abu Rida, alleges that a disallowed goal, a denied penalty appeal, and several key decisions unfairly went against Egypt. It has requested FIFA to investigate the incidents and to exclude Letexier from officiating further matches in the tournament.

Egyptian officials claim the disputed calls influenced the match outcome, asserting that the refereeing team played a decisive role in Argentina’s victory. Midfielder Mostafa Zizo, whose goal was disallowed by VAR, and head coach Hossam Hassan both expressed dissatisfaction, with Hassan suggesting commercial motives behind keeping Lionel Messi and Argentina in the competition.

FIFA has not yet issued any official response to Egypt’s complaint. The controversy adds to broader criticism of refereeing standards in the ongoing World Cup, where several matches have sparked debate over officiating quality.

A major controversy erupted at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after U.S. President Donald Trump personally requested FIFA to review a red card given to American striker Folarin Balogun during a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The card had ruled Balogun out of the crucial round-of-16 match against Belgium. Following Trump’s appeal, FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee suspended the one-match ban, allowing Balogun to play.

The decision triggered widespread debate across global football. UEFA accused FIFA of crossing a line, warning that such actions could undermine the sport’s disciplinary integrity. Belgium’s football authorities also appealed against Balogun’s eligibility, but their challenge was rejected. FIFA President Gianni Infantino insisted that all disciplinary decisions were made independently and denied any political influence, while Trump maintained he had only sought a fair review.

The incident has ignited discussions worldwide about political interference in sports, with some viewing Trump’s move as a call for fairness and others as a dangerous precedent. The term “Trump card” has since become a symbol of the controversy dominating the 2026 World Cup.

Egypt exited the World Cup after a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the round of 16, despite leading 2-0 until the 79th minute in Atlanta. Following the match, Egypt’s head coach Hossam Hassan strongly criticized the refereeing and questioned the fairness of the tournament. He expressed frustration over a disallowed goal by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and the referee’s failure to award a penalty for a foul on Mohamed Salah before Argentina’s winning goal.

Hassan alleged that commercial interests influenced the competition, claiming that organizers wanted Lionel Messi to remain in the tournament as long as possible. Despite his anger over officiating, the coach praised his players for their performance, saying Egypt had built a foundation for future success and upheld the pride of African and Arab football.

He concluded by apologizing to Egyptian fans, stating that the team had aimed to bring joy to the nation but some factors were beyond their control.

Egyptian forward Mostafa Zizo expressed strong dissatisfaction after Egypt’s 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup round of 16 on July 8, 2026. Egypt had led 2-0 before conceding three goals, ending their campaign in heartbreak. Speaking to the media after the match, Zizo alleged that the referee’s decisions consistently went against Egypt, claiming the official did not want them to win. He recited a Quranic verse and said a referee had destroyed the hard work of a nation.

Zizo further argued that the match was unfair and suggested the tournament seemed destined for Argentina. The Egyptian camp’s frustration centered on several controversial calls, including a disallowed goal by Zizo after a VAR review and a denied penalty appeal. These decisions, according to Zizo and his teammates, changed the course of the match.

FIFA and the match referee did not issue any immediate response to Zizo’s comments, while Argentina secured a dramatic comeback to reach the quarterfinals.

Switzerland advanced to the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals after defeating Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a goalless 120-minute match in Vancouver, Canada. The Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel delivered an outstanding performance, making several crucial saves and earning the player of the match award. Despite Colombia’s early attacking dominance, both teams failed to score in regular and extra time, leading to a tense shootout that Switzerland managed to win.

The victory marks Switzerland’s first World Cup quarter-final appearance since 1954. Colombia’s efforts, led by players such as Gustavo Puerta and James Rodríguez, were repeatedly denied by Kobel’s sharp reflexes. Switzerland also created several scoring chances through Fabian Rieder and Dan Ndoye but could not convert during open play.

With this result, Switzerland will face Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the quarter-finals. Argentina had earlier secured their place by overturning a 0-2 deficit to defeat Egypt 3-2. The match between Argentina and Switzerland is scheduled for Sunday at 7 a.m. Bangladesh time.

Egypt’s national football coach Hossam Hassan said that anyone who does not feel the suffering of Palestinians is not human, regardless of nationality. He made the remarks during a press conference ahead of Egypt’s Round of 16 match against Argentina in the FIFA World Cup. Hassan, who had earlier dedicated Egypt’s historic penalty shootout victory over Australia to the people of Palestine, also waved the Palestinian flag on the field, describing it as a natural human reaction.

Hassan emphasized that while people protest animal cruelty worldwide, the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians in missile attacks have become disturbingly normalized. He urged that humanity should come before religion or ethnicity and that everyone should stand with the oppressed. He added that his message through football aligns with FIFA’s call for mutual respect and the right to live with dignity.

According to the report, since the war began on October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, leaving many displaced amid destruction. Global protests and solidarity from athletes have followed.

Australian national football team forward Tate Yangi has formally embraced Islam, drawing wide attention across the sports and Muslim communities. The 25-year-old player converted to Islam at a mosque in his hometown of Adelaide after Friday prayers, just before being named in Australia’s final World Cup squad. Islamic scholar Mufti Menk was present during the ceremony, where Yangi recited the Shahada to declare his faith.

In an interview afterward, Yangi said his decision to accept Islam was not spontaneous but the result of a long period of learning and reflection. During his meeting with Mufti Menk, he was asked whether he had recited the Shahada before. Upon replying no, he was invited to do so and accepted immediately. Yangi expressed pride in his new faith and said he hopes to represent the beauty and true teachings of Islam through honesty and humanity both on and off the field.

Yangi recently scored on his debut against Switzerland in a pre-World Cup friendly, strengthening his position in the national team.

Belgium reached the World Cup quarterfinals after defeating the United States 4-1 in the round of 16. Following the match, Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin expressed frustration over FIFA’s controversial decision to suspend the red-card ban of U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, allowing him to play despite disciplinary rules. Raskin said the result proved that justice ultimately prevails in life.

The controversy began when Balogun received a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which should have led to a one-match suspension. However, FIFA’s disciplinary committee lifted the ban, drawing criticism from multiple sides. The Belgian Football Federation filed an official complaint before the match, which was rejected. FIFA President Gianni Infantino later stated that the judicial body acted independently, though reports of his phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump fueled further debate.

Belgium’s victory, powered by goals from Charles De Ketelaere, Hans Vanaken, and Romelu Lukaku, secured a quarterfinal clash with Spain, who advanced after defeating Portugal.

Portugal’s national football team coach Roberto Martinez announced his resignation after the team’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup in the round of 16 against Spain. The Spanish coach said he saw no reason to continue after failing to achieve the goal of winning the World Cup. Portugal lost 1–0 to Spain, and Martinez confirmed in the post-match press conference that it was his final game in charge, coinciding with the end of his contract.

Martinez, who took charge of Portugal in 2023, led the team for about three and a half years. Under his leadership, Portugal won the UEFA Nations League but fell short in both the European Championship and the World Cup. Expressing gratitude to supporters, Martinez said it was an honor to serve as national coach and hinted that the team now needed a “new voice.”

According to international media reports cited in the source, the Portuguese Football Federation will begin the process of appointing a new coach, with European outlets already speculating about possible successors.