Algeria have officially lodged a complaint with FIFA following their controversial 3-0 defeat to Argentina in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, accusing the officiating team of making key decisions that affected the outcome of the encounter.
According to reports from TSA Tout sur l’Algérie and Compétition, the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) submitted a formal complaint targeting the performance of Polish referee Szymon Marciniak and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team.
The Desert Warriors are particularly aggrieved by an incident involving Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the 32nd minute. The FAF argues that Messi should have been sent off after appearing to stamp on defender Aïssa Mandi’s leg during an off-the-ball challenge.
Despite the incident occurring in clear view of the match officials and being reviewed by VAR, no disciplinary action was taken against the Argentine star, who had already opened the scoring earlier in the match. Algerian officials reportedly view the decision as an example of what they believe is preferential treatment afforded to Messi on the international stage.
The complaint also highlights another contentious moment involving Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in the second half. Algeria claims Mac Allister struck Ibrahim Maza with his elbow inside the penalty area in the 74th minute, but neither a penalty was awarded nor was any card shown by Marciniak.
The refereeing decisions have generated significant debate among supporters and analysts, with several observers questioning the consistency of VAR intervention during the match.
By escalating the matter to FIFA, the FAF is seeking a thorough review of the officiating performance and greater accountability over controversial decisions involving match officials and VAR.
While Argentina celebrated a convincing victory to begin their World Cup campaign, the controversy surrounding the match continues to dominate discussion, with Algeria maintaining that crucial refereeing errors had a major impact on the contest.
