FIFA World Cup 2026: Why No Red Card For Messi? Algeria Slams Referee, Complains to Governing Body

After losing to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026, Algeria has filed a formal complaint with FIFA over the referee's decisions. They are furious that Lionel Messi was not given a red card for a serious foul.

So, Algeria lost 3-0 to Argentina in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, and now they're not taking it lying down. They've gone ahead and filed an official complaint with FIFA about the refereeing during the match. Their main point is that Lionel Messi should have been shown a red card in the first half, but wasn't. They're also calling out the ref for not acting on several other controversial moments. The match, which took place in Kansas City, saw defending champs Argentina win thanks to a Messi hat-trick. But the big talking point after the final whistle was a foul involving the Argentine captain and his Algerian counterpart, Aissa Mandi.

According to a Reuters report, Algeria has sent a letter to FIFA's Referees' Commission, targeting the officiating team led by Polish referee Szymon Marciniak. "The main focus of our complaint is the Messi foul. That was a clear red card," a source from the Algerian Football Federation told AFP. The complaint also mentioned, "We're not trying to say Argentina isn't a great team. But when we feel things have been handled unfairly, we can't just stay quiet. There were three incidents that needed serious action, and VAR didn't step in for even one of them."

And it wasn't just Messi's foul that Algeria highlighted. The federation's complaint also pointed to another incident in the second half, where Argentina's Alexis Mac Allister allegedly elbowed Ibrahim Maza while they were both going for the ball.

Should Messi have gotten a red card?

The whole controversy around Messi blew up about halfway into the first half. Messi came in from behind with a high boot and caught Mandi on the leg. The Algerian players were immediately up in arms, demanding a card. But surprisingly, neither the on-field referee nor the VAR team even took a second look. The incident quickly exploded on social media, becoming a huge talking point. Even South Africa's coach, Hugo Broos, weighed in on the matter.

He brought up how his own player, Themba Zwane, was slapped with a three-match ban for a very similar foul earlier in the tournament. "When I see what happened in Messi's case, I just can't accept the punishment my player got," Broos said. "I also want the best players like Messi to be on the pitch. But I really can't understand the difference in how these two incidents were treated."