Spain defender Aymeric Laporte has questioned some refereeing decisions involving Argentina ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, saying aggressive play should not go unpunished.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was upset over several refereeing decisions in his side's 4-3 loss at Inter Milan that stopped the Catalans reaching their first Champions League final in a decade after an extra-time goal by home substitute Davide Frattesi.
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has staunchly defended the officiating in Argentina's 3-2 World Cup victory over Egypt, dismissing allegations of bias and asserting that match officials operated with complete independence, despite Egypt's complaints about unfair treatment.
FIFA has strongly defended Brazilian referee Raphael Claus after US President Donald Trump questioned his integrity following a controversial red card shown to US striker Folarin Balogun at the World Cup.
FIFA is facing renewed scrutiny over its inconsistent handling of two World Cup red-card cases involving England's Jarell Quansah and the USA's Folarin Balogun. While Quansah received a two-match ban, Balogun's one-match suspension was controversially suspended, leading to accusations of external interference and a lack of transparency from the governing body.
FIFA has transformed its referee preparation for the World Cup, treating officials like elite athletes. This rigorous training includes physical assessments, game-like simulations, and advanced data tracking to ensure referees can perform optimally under challenging conditions like extreme humidity and high altitude, minimising errors due to fatigue.
Lionel Messi broke the FIFA World Cup scoring record, but his achievement was overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions.
Manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday that Arsenal's trophy hopes had recently been hit by the worst of run of refereeing decisions against a single team since he arrived in English football. The Frenchman, who joined Arsenal in September 1996, said winning the Premier League would be the most satisfying achievement of his career after a run of controversial refereeing calls.
Brazil have lodged a formal complaint with FIFA over the disallowing of a Vinicius Jr goal during their 3-0 FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage victory over Scotland, with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) also requesting that Mexican referee Cesar Ramos no longer officiate the team's matches.
Legendary German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has voiced his opinions on the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, advocating for quicker decisions by relying more on Video Operation Room officials rather than on-field referees reviewing screens. He also expressed mixed feelings about the proposed 48-team World Cup format, acknowledging opportunities for smaller nations but warning against potential dilution of quality.
Egypt's national football coach, Hossam Hassan, has vehemently blamed 'unfair' refereeing decisions and 'external factors' for his team's dramatic World Cup elimination by Argentina, stating he will no longer watch the tournament.
The Egyptian Football Association on Wednesday criticised refereeing decisions in Egypt's dramatic 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 defeat by Argentina, saying it would not remain silent over what it described as the improper use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly defended the recent World Cup, accusing critics of spreading 'hate and false narratives' and overlooking the tournament's success in promoting unity, safety, and inclusion.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez defended the VAR decisions that helped his side beat Croatia 2-1, while FIFA explained how Connected Ball Technology confirmed the stoppage-time offside call that ended Croatia's World Cup campaign.
A former FIFA referee has questioned the new VAR protocol after fresh controversy involving Argentina, warning that fan confidence in World Cup officiating has been "completely eroded."
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp criticised the VAR decision that disallowed Jonathan Tah's goal, leading to Germany's early exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026. He also took a dig at Arsenal regarding their set-piece goals, suggesting many would be ruled out if Tah's goal was illegal.
Former US President Donald Trump personally intervened with FIFA President Gianni Infantino to overturn a red-card ban for US striker Folarin Balogun, a decision UEFA called 'unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable' and which has sparked widespread criticism over the integrity of the game.
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina says the World Cup's new anti-time-wasting rules have been a major success, speeding up play, reducing injuries and improving discipline while defending VAR's controversial decisions.
The 2026 World Cup has been marred by widespread controversy surrounding the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, with coaches, players, and fans criticising its application, consistency, and impact on match outcomes, leading to a significant increase in interventions and red cards.
Ten-man Lens secured their first Trophee des Champions title, defeating Paris St Germain 1-0 at the Bollaert-Delelis Stadium, 28 years after their last appearance in the season-opening fixture.
A football commentator has been stripped of his World Cup credentials by FIFA after an expletive-laden tirade against the organisation and match officials during Paraguay's 1-0 victory over Turkey when Miguel Almiron was sent off.
Gianluca Rocchi steps aside amid a Serie A fraud probe, with VAR official Andrea Gervasoni also under investigation, raising fears of another Calciopoli-style crisis.
The AIFF has approved a September 4 start for the 2026-27 Indian Super League but deferred a final decision on the league's governance structure, with further discussions set to continue between the federation and ISL clubs.
Indian boxer Preeti Pawar, an Asian Games bronze medallist, secured a dominant victory over Deborah Mtenje of Malawi in the women's 54kg category at the Commonwealth Games, advancing to the quarterfinals. She won her round of 16 bout via Referee Stop Contest (RSC) in the second round and is now one win away from a medal.
Indian boxer Preeti Panwar, an Asian Games bronze medallist, secured a dominant Referee Stop Contest (RSC) victory over Deborah Mtenje of Malawi to enter the women's 54kg quarterfinals at the Commonwealth Games. This win places her one step closer to a maiden Commonwealth Games medal, with her next bout against Nicole Clyde of Northern Ireland.
Giuliano Simeone, son of manager Diego Simeone, scored a dramatic late equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw for 10-man Atletico Madrid against Villarreal. The match was marked by fan anger towards striker Julian Alvarez and a contentious red card for Robin Le Normand.
After France's 2-0 victory over Morocco in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal, Kylian Mbappe was seen consoling his close friend Achraf Hakimi. This moment of mutual respect between the former Paris Saint-Germain teammates quickly went viral, highlighting that fierce rivals can still share genuine friendship off the pitch, despite Mbappe's insistence on no emotions during the game.
India's top fencer, Bhavani Devi, has issued an unconditional apology and appealed the two-month suspension she received after being shown a Black Card at the Asian Fencing Championships. The Fencing Association of India is supporting her appeal to the FIE, citing her clean disciplinary record and the upcoming World Championships.
Egypt's players and Coach Hossam Hassan blasted FIFA and accused the governing body of blatantly 'favouring' Lionel Messi and his team.
Indian boxers Preeti Pawar and Jadumani Singh have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games. Preeti, an Asian Games bronze medallist, secured a dominant win in the women's 54kg category, while Jadumani defeated his Pakistani opponent in the men's 55kg. Both are now one victory away from securing a medal for India.
Indian boxers Jadumani Singh and Preeti Pawar have secured their spots in the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games boxing competition. Jadumani Singh defeated Pakistan's Sumama Rehman with a unanimous 5-0 decision, while Preeti Pawar advanced via Referee Stop Contest against Deborah Mtenje of Malawi. However, Aditya Pratap faced an early exit after losing his opening bout.
UEFA rejects Barcelona's complaint over a controversial refereeing decision in their Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid, ruling the protest inadmissible ahead of the second leg.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to face Lionel Messi for the first time in his career during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, an occasion he described as carrying a 'sense of history' given his long-standing admiration for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
India played an impressive opening match at the Women's Hockey World Cup, securing a 2-2 draw against Olympic silver medallists China, with goals from Navneet Kaur and Deepika.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin blasted the rule behind Breel Embolo's controversial red card as "unacceptable" after Argentina's 3-1 extra-time victory ended the Swiss team's historic FIFA World Cup 2026 run.
Paris St Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 to retain the UEFA Super Cup, with goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue. Despite Brian Madjo's equaliser for Villa, PSG secured their victory, marking another trophy for manager Luis Enrique and highlighting their continued dominance in European football.
An emotional Stale Solbakken praised Norway's historic FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign after a 2-1 extra-time defeat to England ended their dream run in the quarter-finals.
India's boxing contingent had a stellar day at the Commonwealth Games, securing five more semifinal berths and bringing the total to nine. This achievement surpasses India's previous medal tally in boxing from Birmingham 2022, guaranteeing at least nine medals for the nation.
Indian boxers delivered a flawless performance at the Commonwealth Games, with four more pugilists - Ankush Yadav, Sakshi Chaudhary, Arundhati Choudhary, and Sachin Siwach - advancing to the semifinals. This brings the total number of Indian boxers in the semifinals to nine, ensuring a minimum of nine bronze medals for the country.
Croatia's World Cup exit sparked controversy after coach Zlatko Dali launched a furious attack on the refereeing following their 2-1 defeat to Portugal.
