Argentine newspaper warns of the referee for Egypt's World Cup match

The Argentine newspaper "Ole" shed light on the French referee François Letexier, who will officiate Egypt's match against Argentina in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

The Egyptian national team faces its Argentine counterpart at seven in the evening next Tuesday.

The newspaper pointed out that Letexier is the same referee who managed the Benfica vs. Real Madrid match in the UEFA Champions League last February, when he halted the game following Vinicius's complaint of racist abuse from the Argentine Gianluca Prestianni.

That incident led to the addition of the "Vinicius" law, which resulted in two expulsions during World Cup matches, as the law stipulates ejecting any player who covers his mouth while speaking.

It added that the incident sparked widespread controversy and became a turning point in handling such cases, noting that it paved the way for stricter football regulations regarding similar incidents.

It explained that the French referee is making his first World Cup appearance, having officiated only two group-stage matches—between Ivory Coast and Ecuador, then Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia—without any expulsions or refereeing controversies.