Punishment of Critics of Refereeing After the World Cup

FIFA is waiting for the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup in North America before imposing stern penalties on critics of refereeing decisions during the tournament.

According to The Athletic, FIFA has refused to engage in investigations into misconduct by coaches and players, and has decided to postpone any disciplinary sanctions until after the end of the World Cup.

The tournament witnessed sharp criticism of refereeing teams, including the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. The most prominent criticisms came from England’s coach, German manager Thomas Tuchel, and Swiss defender Manuel Akanji, as well as Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan and Pharaohs striker Mustafa Abdel Raouf (Zico).