Less rigor, more play and controversies for the referees in the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup has seen a more permissive refereeing approach, with fewer interruptions and an increase in effective playing time, but has sparked controversy over controversial decisions.
By Francisco Torres
June 24, 2026 at 12:43 PM
The 2026 World Cup has not only brought new developments in terms of the teams and their performances, it has also aroused many opinions regarding the direction of the matches. The referees seem to have adopted a more lax line compared to past tournaments, prioritizing the fluidity of the game and limiting interruptions as much as possible. The objective of these new guidelines is clear: to increase effective playing time and make matches more spectacular. A philosophy that has found the approval of several observers. Samuel Umtiti, who has played for the France team in this World Cup, commented on RMC: "I find it logical, normal and with these rules we are progressing in football." For his part, Daniel Riolo highlighted the positive aspects of this new approach to directing matches: "The game is much less fragmented, less cut and the matches are more pleasant to follow." However, not everything is praise, controversies have also arisen. On several occasions, the non-sanction of penalties, the expulsions that were not shown and the VAR interventions that have been considered insufficient or erroneous have been questioned. Among the most discussed episodes are two penalties not awarded to France in the matches against Senegal and Iraq, in addition to controversial decisions in the match between Argentina and Algeria, including a play in which it was questioned whether Lionel Messi should receive a red card and an Argentina goal that was disallowed for an offside that was considered non-existent. In this context, French referees François Letexier and Clément Turpin have received praise for their performances in the Ecuador vs Ivory Coast and England vs Croatia matches. In short, the new refereeing style has made the tournament more dynamic, but also more contested.