FIFA and VAR must play it fair for a historic World Cup semifinals clash between England and Argentina. The world will be watching if Gianni Infantino allows Lionel Messi bias to interfere.
This is the biggest match in England’s football history.
And it would be a freaking shame if VAR or a weak red card ruined another 2026 World Cup instant classic.
“It would worry me, redecisions,” England legend Alan Shearer said on Tuesday’s episode of Netflix’s The Rest is Football.
“I do think there will be a bit of spice in the game. It wouldn’t surprise me if there was a red card or two, as well. But I do think England will have enough to get through to the final.”
The temptation will be there because it is Lionel Messi on worldwide TV, one game before a World Cup final in the United States of America.
Messi the global GOAT. Messi the 39-year-old football genius. Messi the international magician, who doubles as an MLS superstar in his other job.
Throw in Argentina being the defending world champions, the passion that pours out of Enzo Fernandez and the precision of Julian Alvarez, FIFA’s alleged ‘pro-Argentina bias,’ which is just circumstantial evidence and unsubstantiated claims, and it could be so easy for another referee or VAR booth to get a little carried away in Atlanta at the worst possible time.
The announcement of Ismail Elfath as the ref in charge of England’s semifinal clash will only heighten anxiety as the hours tick down to an 8 p.m. kickoff on Wednesday.
FIFA, however, strongly maintain that they are not influenced by anyone in their decision-making.
Pierluigi Collina, FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer, said after the Round of 16 matches: “Overall, we are happy. However, with such a high number of matches played in a relatively short period of time, it is normal that some things do not go as expected. When that happens, they are ready to work even harder to ensure they are fully prepared for the next match.
“Of course, constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport. Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials. When this happens, it may provoke reactions that lead to threats against them and their families. This is not right.
“Equally, nobody can claim that FIFA Refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA President [Gianni Infantino]. He has always shown his full support for FIFA Team One while trusting us to work with complete independence. Match officials make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always try to do their best.”
If Argentina wins 3-1 without extra time, a crying Messi records a brilliant brace, and England simply doesn’t have enough collective energy left after overcoming Mexico inside Estadio Azteca and Norway in super-humid Miami, then fine.
Let it be, and another tip of the cap to one of the greatest athletes to ever walk the earth.
“He is — he is remarkable,” England legend Gary Lineker said on The Rest is Football.
“I want us (England) to stop him. But, goodness me, he’s just defying logic what he’s doing at 39-years-old.”
But the absolute worst thing for England vs Argentina — and France vs Spain on Tuesday in the first edition of the semifinals — would be for FIFA’s big, bad and ugly VAR machine to needlessly intrude on what should be a worldwide celebration of the beautiful game.
Because that’s what millions upon millions of football (and soccer) fans are already fearing, right?
Especially everyone who wants Gianni Infantino to stop ruining football with NFL-like timeouts and 64-team World Cup overexpansion.
Whether you live in England, Argentina, France, Spain, Mexico, Canada, the USA or Cape Verde, there’s already this eerie sense of dread that the Video Assistant Referee Cyclops is going to ruin at least one of the semifinals — and coldly break the heart of an entire country.
That’s what happens when ‘clear and obvious’ keeps being thrown out the window in a $13 billion sporting event.
“You were able to see to what extent emotions had been killed and, altogether all these decisions take you back and actually take the joy out of football,” said Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic, after Josko Gvardiol’s tying goal in a Round of 32 match vs Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal was erased by VAR following 13 minutes of tense stoppage time.
“VAR kills emotions, it kills everything within you. We have gone too far with VAR.”
Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford and the Three Lions must be better than Argentina inside 68,000-capacity Atlanta Stadium amid the noise, pride, tension and hydration breaks.
But when England finally plays its first match vs Messi — 20 years after he first represented Argentina in World Cup qualifying — a roof and air conditioning should remove all weather-related influences.
That pushes the world’s focus directly onto the pitch, and that’s where the biggest match in England history must be decided.
Germany, Egypt, Croatia and Switzerland have already felt the pain of outside intrusion in a 2026 World Cup that has mixed pure brilliance with total chaos since the biggest sports tournament in history began.
If Messi and Argentina are better in Atlanta, they deserve a return trip to the final.
If England follows Thomas Tuchel’s fiery lead and finds another level vs Messi, a 60-year dream will live on for a few more surreal days in this country.
