By Sefa Yürükel
A Comprehensive Analysis of the Controversies Shaking the 2026 Tournament and the Future of Football
Is Football Just Football?
The World Cup is an arena that locks billions of people to their screens every four years, where national pride is weighed on the scales. However, the 2026 tournament is being written into football history as a controversial page, beyond the on field battles, due to referee decisions, FIFA management’s relations with political actors, and the erosion of trust in technology. This article does not view these events merely as “referee errors” but analyzes how they have transformed into a systematic perception crisis, through the eyes of commentators from all around the world.
Trump and Infantino: The Political Wind That Began at the White House
FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s appearance alongside then US President Donald Trump at the White House sparked the first spark regarding how much football’s “neutral” line can be preserved. The direct involvement of the Trump administration in the official task force established within the scope of the 2026 organization’s preparations alarmed circles sensitive to sports independence.
English football commentator and former referee Mark Halsey evaluates this situation as follows:
“A FIFA president establishing such close contact with any government, especially before such a massive organization, seriously damages the perception of neutrality. Politicians being in the stands is normal, but being at the management table shakes the foundation of fair play.”
German sports journalist and football authority Raphael Honigstein places the issue in a broader perspective:
“FIFA has always been criticized for being under the influence of major economic powers. But this open embrace during the Trump era has carried the question ‘Can sport be a tool of politics?’ from football dugouts to parliamentary corridors. Can the political weight of host countries affect FIFA’s scales, especially on sensitive issues such as Middle Eastern policies and the Israel lobby? That is the most asked question today.”
Argentina and Messi: The “Protected Star” Perception
One of the most talked about controversies of the tournament revolves around the allegations of “privileged treatment” concerning Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team. Particularly, Messi’s strong objections to the referee in the Switzerland match going unpunished caused great reverberation among former players and commentators.
Brazilian legendary footballer and commentator Rivaldo expressed the following criticism on his Twitter account on the matter:
“In my time, a player who objected this harshly would have left the pitch within a minute. Messi is the best in the world, but that does not mean the rules should be bent for him. If referees apply different standards to big stars, the idea of justice in football will disappear.”
Former Premier League referee from England Keith Hackett places this situation in a more institutional framework:
“FIFA’s instructions stipulate that disrespect to the referee must absolutely be punished with a yellow card, and serious insults with a red card. When the images are examined, it is clear that Messi’s body language was quite aggressive. The absence of a card means these debates will not end unless VAR is used not only for offside and penalties but also for disciplinary violations.”
Argentine sports commentator Juan Pablo Varsky offers a defense against these criticisms:
“Big players have always been accused of being advantaged. Maradona was too, Ronaldo was too. But Messi is a player who has known how to avoid such cards throughout his career. The card not given is the referee’s assessment at that moment. Interpreting this as FIFA protecting Argentina is nothing more than serving a grand conspiracy theory.”
Egypt’s Elimination and the Double Standard in VAR
Following Egypt’s elimination from the tournament, the rising voices in Arab football circles claiming “referees targeted us” once again questioned the objectivity of the VAR system. Whether VAR intervenes in critical positions or not has exposed the gap between FIFA’s claim of “technological justice” and its implementation.
Former Egyptian national player and commentator Ahmed Hassan used the following statements on a television program:
“Look, we are not rebelling because we lost, but because different decisions were given for the same positions. No one knows what criteria those sitting in the VAR room are acting upon. Were these criteria changed only for our match? Of course not. But when this becomes systematic, people start questioning intentions, not just errors.”
Spanish sports journalist Alfredo Relaño summarizes where VAR has arrived with these words:
“VAR was invented to make football fairer, but it has now become football’s biggest source of debate. Because technology is only as fair as the person making the decision. And unfortunately, FIFA prefers to make vague statements rather than standing behind these decisions.”
Norway and the Camera Cable Crisis: Doubt Touching Technology
The allegation that the ball touched the camera cable on the sideline during the match between Norway and England was one of the most concrete examples of how fragile trust in technology is. The game not being stopped and England scoring following this action made headlines in the Norwegian press as a “camera scandal.”
Former Norwegian footballer and TV commentator Jan Åge Fjørtoft directed very harsh criticism in his statement after the match:
“This is a disgrace. Millions of people saw on their screens that the ball hit the cable. FIFA’s claim that the data showed no contact is not convincing. Because if we know the path the ball followed, this is an obvious error. Why wasn’t the game stopped? Because there is a system that works in favor of the big teams. This inevitably makes one think that way.”
English commentator Gary Lineker approaches this debate more calmly, drawing attention to the flaws of technology:
“I love technology in football, but no system is one hundred percent flawless. FIFA’s reliance on ball sensor data is normal. But this incident reminded us once again that technology also requires human interpretation. The problem is not technology making errors, but how those errors are managed.”
Red Cards and “International Privilege” in FIFA Discipline
The overturning of the red card penalty given to US player Folarin Balogun by FIFA rekindled the question of whether disciplinary rules are applied equally to everyone. This decision became a new argument for circles discussing the influence of pro Israel and pro US policies on FIFA.
Former Irish referee and commentator Alan Kelly explains the perception created by such decisions as follows:
“The overturning of penalties is normal if the evidence clearly shows an error. But it is observed that such interventions are frequently made for major federations. This inevitably raises the question ‘Is there a privilege here?’ FIFA has to explain every decision much more transparently to break this perception.”
Turkish sports commentator and former footballer Rıdvan Dilmen addresses the issue with its political dimension:
“There is politics in football, we cannot deny that. But if you think there is a mechanism that works so openly in favor of some countries and against others, then it is not just football that enters this equation, but also capital and international balances. The overturning of Balogun’s penalty is a controversial example in itself.”
Harsh Political Criticisms from Famous Footballers
Throughout the tournament, not only commentators but also legendary footballers expressed their criticisms towards FIFA and referee decisions. These names did not reduce the problem to on field errors but drew attention to institutional corruption and political intervention.
French legend Thierry Henry used the following statements in an interview:
“The soul of football is the belief that everyone plays by the same rules. But today this belief has been shaken. Referee decisions, VAR applications, even FIFA’s relationship with politics… These cause a child watching football to ask ‘Is this fair?’ This is very dangerous.”
Former Italian referee and now commentator Pierluigi Collina, as a former chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, evaluates the process:
“Referees are human, they make mistakes. But today, it is not just errors that are being discussed, but the systematic patterns behind them. If similar errors are consistently made in favor of one country, that is either coincidence or a distortion in the system. FIFA needs to fight this perception.”
Dutch legend Marco van Basten takes it further with one of the harshest criticisms:
“This World Cup is dirty and tainted. We see not just referee errors, but a mechanism working in favor of countries like the US and Israel. Politics has entered football and unfortunately FIFA has remained a spectator. In some cases, it has even actively supported it. This could be the beginning of the end for football.”
“Match Fixing” or “Perception Crisis”?
At the center of all these debates, despite the absence of concrete evidence of match fixing, there is a strong erosion of trust in public opinion. The 2015 FIFA corruption scandals, the political controversies of Qatar 2022, and now these decisions in 2026 have buried fans’ unquestioning trust in the institution in history.
American sports journalist Grant Wahl had summarized this situation in his final articles written before the tournament:
“FIFA is a giant institution managing billions of dollars. With so much money and power, expecting it to be completely neutral would be naive. But the problem is pretending that this neutrality is being maintained. Fans want to believe in the idea of fair play. But every controversial decision erodes this belief a little more.”
English commentator and former player Alan Shearer removes the issue from individual errors and places it in an institutional framework:
“There is no concrete evidence of match fixing. But even without evidence, the suspicion formed in people’s minds has now become a reality. FIFA has to take these suspicions seriously. Otherwise, future World Cups will be remembered not just for their champions, but for their controversies and protests.”
The Lost Faith Beyond the Scoreboard
The 2026 World Cup has become a mirror of a much deeper crisis, beyond the goals and victories on the pitch. This crisis is the shaking of the belief in justice that lies at the foundation of football, beyond referee errors.
Even though FIFA delivers messages of transparency and independence in response to these criticisms, the political perception shaped around the US and Israel axis weakens the credibility of these messages.
German football sociologist and author Christoph Bausenwein comments on this process as follows:
“Football is the largest secular religion of the modern world. And like every religion, it stands on the faith of its believers. If referee decisions, VAR controversies, and political relationships erode this faith, football becomes just an industry. And an industry can never be as strong as a belief system.”
As a result, the legacy of this tournament watched by billions of people will perhaps remain in the shadow of controversies rather than the name of the winning team. If FIFA cannot rebuild trust in its institution, future World Cups will be played not only in stadiums but also in arenas shaped by courts and public pressure.
What Should Be Done? Concrete Recommendations for the Future of Football
The problems identified above have deeply shaken the belief in justice at the foundation of football. This situation is too comprehensive to be explained merely by referee errors or controversial decisions. To protect the spirit of football, rebuild trust in FIFA, and prevent such perception crises from recurring, the following concrete and comprehensive steps must be taken.
FIFA’s Structural Reforms and Transparency Commitments
Although FIFA made some reforms following the 2015 corruption scandals, today’s debates show that these reforms are insufficient. A new move towards independence and transparency is imperative.
- An Independent Referee Observation Board Should Be Established: An international board composed of former referees, lawyers, and technical directors, completely independent from FIFA, should be established to oversee referee decisions. This board should independently review and report on all controversial decisions throughout the tournament.
- VAR Protocols Should Be Shared with the Public: The criteria used in the VAR room, which positions were reviewed, and the review processes should be published in detail after each match. The current perception of a “secret VAR room” is the biggest factor feeding distrust.
- Transparency in Disciplinary Decisions: Decisions such as the overturning of red card penalties or the reduction of player sanctions should not be made without publicly sharing the justifications. These decisions should be published transparently on FIFA’s disciplinary committee official website.
- Equal Application for Star Players: The dialogues and objections of big stars with referees should be evaluated by the same standards as other players. Special training should be provided to referees on this matter, and the perception of “star privilege” should be broken.
- Relations Between the FIFA President and Political Leaders Should Be Restricted: The FIFA president’s contacts with host country leaders should be limited to the technical and logistical dimensions of the organization and should not turn into political or strategic collaborations. A special ethics committee should be assigned for the transparency of these relations.
Reforms in Referee Education and Technology Management
Reducing referee errors and using technology more effectively play a critical role in rebuilding trust.
- Psychological and Emotional Intelligence Training for Referees: Referees should not only receive physical and rule based training; they should also undergo psychological support and emotional intelligence training to withstand the pressure of big matches and manage fan and player pressure.
- Independent Auditing of Technology Systems: The accuracy of technological systems such as camera to ball contact data should be audited by independent third parties before and after matches. FIFA’s reliance on its own data has lost its credibility among fans.
- Publication of VAR Room Audio Recordings: The conversations in the VAR room during controversial positions should be broadcast during or after the match, as is done in rugby and cricket. This will increase the transparency of the decision making process and make referees’ decisions defensible.
- Geographic and Political Balance in Referee Assignments: In referee assignments, balance should be maintained in selecting referees from regions close to or far from the teams’ home countries, and potential conflicts of interest or biases should be minimized.
- A Fully Integrated Ball Technology System: To prevent a recurrence of the Norway incident, a fully integrated technology system should be developed that instantly records every surface the ball touches on the pitch and sends signals to the referee.
The Role of Football Public Opinion, Fans, and Media
Rebuilding trust is the responsibility of all stakeholders, not just FIFA.
- Independent Sports Media and Civil Society Monitoring Platforms: During tournaments, “FIFA Justice Monitoring Reports” should be prepared by independent media outlets and civil society organizations and shared with the public.
- Inclusion of Fan Representatives in the Process: Representatives from fan associations should be included in decision making processes, and consultation meetings should be organized with these representatives, especially after controversial decisions.
- Combating Disinformation on Social Media: FIFA should establish a digital communication unit that provides rapid and accurate responses to misinformation and conspiracy theories spreading on social media.
- Collaboration with Football Historians and Academics: FIFA should work with independent academic commissions that will analyze the historical context and systematic errors of tournament decisions.
Sports Diplomacy and the Separation of Politics
Limiting political intervention in football is vital for preserving neutrality.
- Increasing the Powers of the FIFA Ethics Committee: The FIFA ethics committee should have broader authority and an independent budget to oversee the relations of the president and board members with political actors.
- Establishing Political Criteria in Host Country Selection: In host country selection, criteria such as human rights, press freedom, and the rule of law should become binding conditions, not just recommendations.
- Restricting Political Leaders in Stadium Protocol: Political leaders should not be included in protocols that could affect on field decisions, except for tournament opening and closing ceremonies.
- Stronger Cooperation with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS): Controversial disciplinary decisions should be able to be brought to CAS before or simultaneously with FIFA internal mechanisms, and an independent judicial process should be operated.
- Transparency Obligation for National Federations: All national federations affiliated with FIFA should be obliged to inform their own publics about referee assignments and disciplinary decisions in international tournaments.
- Public Disclosure of FIFA Lobbying Activities: All meetings and correspondence between FIFA and international institutions, governments, and lobby groups should be archived after a certain period and made accessible to the public.
Final Word: A Common Mobilization for the Soul of Football
Football is a universal language that unites billions of people. But the power of this language is fed by the belief of players, administrators, and spectators that they are watching a fair game. The 2026 World Cup has shown how fragile this belief is and how quickly it can be lost.
The recommendations listed above are not merely technical or institutional corrections, but also a manifesto for returning to the essence of football. Unless these recommendations are implemented, future tournaments will be remembered not only for their champions but also for their controversies, protests, and lost trust.
FIFA can emerge stronger from this crisis. But to do so, it must first set aside its institutional arrogance and accept accountability to the fans, the true owners of football, and to justice. This is the shared responsibility of the entire football family, not just one institution.
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Sefa Yürükel
Danish ethnographer and social anthropologist
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