'VARgentina' reach semi-finals under cloud of complaints

A new refereeing protocol has added to the powder keg of public perception over fairness at the World Cup, a former Fifa referee said on Monday, with another refereeing controversy involving Argentina adding fuel to fan complaints.

The holders' passage to Wednesday's semi-final against England has been accompanied by repeated complaints from opponents over refereeing decisions, amid social media speculation the tournament has favoured Lionel Messi's side.

The saga came to a head on Saturday in Argentina's quarter-final defeat of Switzerland, as Breel Embolo was sent off for a second yellow card for simulation, a VAR rule that Swiss coach Murat Yakin called "unacceptable."

Asked for comment on Monday, Fifa referred Reuters to a 8 July interview with refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina, who rejected claims of bias in Argentina's last-16 win over Egypt.

The protocol over mistaken identity is one of several incidents in which VAR is allowed to intervene under rules applied to the 2026-27 season and the World Cup, putting a largely untested protocol up for public debate.

"I don't think it should have been applied in the first place. It was too broad," said Christina Unkel, British broadcaster ITV's rules analyst for the World Cup and a former Fifa referee.

"And where I'm struggling with it is we're not just changing who gets the card, we're changing the underlying decision from a free kick going this way to saying no, no, no, it's actually a decision completely opposite way. So we're changing the basis of the decision.

"And to me, that is where we are now officially, I think, in the re-refereeing area that VAR has been fighting to try to stay out of."

That the protocol benefited Argentina - who social media critics have dubbed "VARgentina" - only seemed to stoke the flames of fan outrage.

"This new expansion of the protocol without testing it, without really knowing that that's what they wanted it to do ... it's just like a powder keg," Unkel told Reuters. "I'm just waiting for the final lynchpin."

Completely eroded

The narrative has been building since the group stage, when Algeria called for Messi to be sent off after he stood on the calf of their captain Aissa Mandi in the first half. He was not - and went on to score a hat-trick.

Days later, Algeria filed a complaint alleging poor refereeing during the game, a source told Reuters.

Controversy around Argentina's round of 16 win over Egypt spilled over for days: Egypt netted a goal in the 62nd minute but it was disallowed after a VAR check found there was a foul from the team in the build-up.

Egypt's appeal later in the match for a penalty was waved away before Argentina scored the winner in the 92nd minute. The Egyptian FA said several decisions during the game impacted the outcome.

Unkel said nothing in those two games jumped out at her as poor refereeing, even as referees are often the quickest and easiest people for fans to blame when things do not go their way.

But she added that off-field issues have added to fan mistrust.

Fifa's handling of two World Cup red-card cases came under renewed scrutiny this month, after US striker Folarin Balogun got a last-minute reprieve from his one-match ban while England defender Jarell Quansah got a two-match suspension.

"I think fan confidence is completely eroded right now," said Unkel, President of United Soccer League women's side Tampa Bay Sun FC. "I've covered major tournaments in this position and as a referee and I have never seen the level of chatter - not just on social media."