Atlético Tucumán head coach Julio César Falcioni made harsh accusations against the refereeing after the defeat to River Plate. The experienced manager expressed his outrage over decisions he believes harmed the Tucumán side.
"If Atlético is a problem, they should let us know," Falcioni fired back to the media. The coach claimed there was a foul on Canelo that should have led to a red card for a River player, openly criticizing the lack of judgment from both the main referee and the officials in the VAR booth.
With his trademark blunt tone, the coach ended his remarks without holding back: "It surprises me that some things are judged one way and others differently. Looks like River's band is working again. I can tell right away when I'm getting screwed."
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

#coach #falcioni #julio #canelo

The 27th round of the 2026 Brasileirão got underway on Friday night (11) with the 401st Athletiba in history at Couto Pereira.
A derby being played even though the pitch is not in the best condition because of the rain falling in Curitiba.
The refereeing team walked the pitch to check its condition during both teams' warm-up.
Then referee Wagner do Nascimento Magalhães (RJ) called over both coaches to indicate that the idea was to go ahead with the match.
Athletico coach Odair ***** mann showed he was unhappy with the decision not to postpone the clash.

#pitch #nascimento

Hansi Flick spoke at a press conference ahead of Barcelona vs Feyenoord.
"I think that, in the end, the big clubs dream of this. We have the quality to win it, but the road is long."
"We have many experienced players. They all have the responsibility to win everything. Not everything is easy after winning the four matches. There are players who are not happy, but every day you have to show that your moment has come. Our level is the one we show in training."
"Now it seems like yes, everything is going well, but although I see a lot of quality and intensity, I also see commitment to an idea and communication. We have to stay together on the pitch to fight better, to help each other. Everyone is here for that and I'm seeing it."
"This is not my job. The standard of refereeing is very good in La Liga and in the Champions League, and I have nothing to say to them. It's not always easy for them. I try to stay calm with them and support them."

#quality #easy #Barcelona

DAZN referee expert Luca Marelli has offered his **** sment on a series of controversial refereeing calls that overshadowed Inter's thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Napoli on Saturday evening.
Referee Simone Sozza found himself at the center of several heated moments at the San Siro and Inter players were left furious when Napoli's Stanislav Lobotka appeared to handle the ball during a challenge with Nicolò Barella inside the penalty box. Play was allowed to continue without a VAR intervention, leading directly to Matteo Politano's opener for the visitors on the counter-attack.
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Matteo Politano of Napoli celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Reviewing the incident on DAZN, with quotes via Sportal, Marelli admitted the footage remained inconclusive: "There are many doubts. It is impossible to tell for sure whether there was contact, even though his arm was extended. Looking at all the available footage, you simply cannot determine if he touches it with his hand or not."
The officiating remained under the spotlight late into the second half. In the 82nd minute, Marcus Thuram headed home Inter's equaliser while Napoli defender Amir Rrahmani lay grounded directly in front of goalkeeper Alex Meret. Sozza allowed the goal to stand, deeming that Rrahmani had gone down too softly rather than as the result of a foul by an opposition player.

#napoli #matteo #rrahmani

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean says he did not intend to "undermine the integrity of refereeing" after claiming that he used to play mini-games to amuse himself during matches.
Dean had told Jamie Vardy's podcast that he would try to go as long as possible without blowing his whistle, or stay standing in the centre circle.
"We used to say, 'we'll kick off now. Right, see how long we can go without blowing a whistle'," Dean said.
"I've done that a few times in the Premier League, before VAR obviously - went 20, 25 minutes without blowing a whistle."
The 58-year-old has come in for considerable criticism for his comments with another former Premier League referee, Mark Halsey, telling BBC Sport that it had added extra pressure on officials today.

#league #without #used

Mike Dean has admitted he would play secret mini-games while refereeing Premier League matches in a mystifying revelation that has outraged fans.
Dean has not refereed since retiring in 2022 after a 22-year officiating career, during which he took charge of 553 top-flight games.
While one of the most recognisable in his field, the 58-year-old was also a notably controversial figure for his unique manner of refereeing, with on-pitch gags and his self-admitted "arrogance" sometimes seeing him end up under the spotlight.
Pundit Garth Crooks famously blasted Dean as "petulant schoolteacher" in a now widely-shared clip on BBC's Final Score in 2015, saying: "He wants to be the star too often. It's really getting on my nerves because he's spoiling great games. It's not about you, Mike, it's about the games."
And now, Dean has found himself on the end of a torrent of criticism after saying he would set himself side-quests during matches, such as waiting as long as possible to blow his whistle.

#dean #refereeing #himself #premier

After the first matchday of Serie A, the talking points we've seen are the usual ones: refereeing decisions, the transfer market still being open, the post-match reactions where some vent by criticizing and others take little digs as a strategy.
The routine we waited for all summer, however, mustn't put us on autopilot, because something different happened: young Italians actually played. It seems unbelievable, but it's true: Mattia Liberali, Simone Lontani, Alessandro Romano (Swiss with dual citizenship), Emanuele Lulli, Alphadjo Cisse and Alessio Cacciamani took the field.
Some did so as starters, others came off the bench: for not all of them was it their absolute Serie A debut, but the wider public really discovered them just a few days ago. The comparison with the other top European leagues is still a long way off (to put it kindly), but at least we're trying: "Better something than nothing," as Gianni Brera would have said.
After an excellent pre-season with Milan and Ruben Amorim's imprimatur in a press conference, Alphadjo Cisse (without the accent, as he himself wanted to point out) made his debut at San Siro and scored the first Serie A goal of his career. He handled the ball well in traffic, pressed constantly and, above all, scored at the decisive moment.
During the summer he trained on his own in Montesilvano (Abruzzo) to get back into shape after tearing his adductor tendon, an injury that had cut short an excellent season with Aquilani's Catanzaro. Throughout July, Sassuolo and Torino wanted him on loan, but Amorim chose to keep him and throw him in. He is already repaying that faith.

#alphadjo #others #something #excellent

Genoa sporting director Diego Lopez has been suspended until 8 September for his conduct following Saturday's defeat to Napoli.
According to Il Fatto Quotidiano, Serie A disciplinary judge Gerardo Mastrandrea found that Lopez improperly entered the pitch at full time despite not being listed on the matchday sheet, repeatedly contested a refereeing decision while adopting an aggressive attitude, continued those protests in the dressing room area and briefly prevented the referee from closing his own dressing room door.
AUGUST 22: Johan Vasquez is challenged by Kevin De Bruyne of Napoli during the Serie A match at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on August 22, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
The flashpoint was the opening goal in the 2-0 defeat, with Genoa furious that Kevin De Bruyne's challenge on Johan Vasquez went unpunished in the build-up to his own strike. Vergara added the second.
Daniele De Rossi had protested from the touchline during the match and was scathing afterwards, saying there was not a person in the world who thought it was not a foul.

#genoa #kevin #defeat

Real Madrid may have begun the 2026/27 La Liga season with three points, but their opening weekend was followed by a familiar controversy away from the pitch.
Following the win over Espanyol, Real Madrid TV returned to one of its most debated themes: refereeing decisions involving the first team.
This time, the club's official television channel focused on the treatment received by Vinicius Jr. and drew a direct comparison with Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal.
The basis of their argument was that Vinicius was repeatedly fouled without Espanyol players being punished with yellow cards, while Lamine Yamal received greater protection in a comparable situation.
Real Madrid's opening-day victory came after a late goal by Carlo Espi secured all three points, but the match was far from short of tension.

#real #vinicius #lamine #received

Genoa director Diego Lopez claims they expected refereeing controversy in their 2-0 defeat to Napoli. 'All of Italy saw what happened today' in the controversial Kevin De Bruyne goal.
The game was still 0-0 at Marassi when Johan Vasquez stood in front of De Bruyne to shield the loose ball, but the defender went down when nudged from behind, allowing the Belgian to fire in undisturbed from seven yards.
Referee Marco Di Bello had a good view of the incident, put the whistle to his lips, and then took it out again when he saw the move was leading to a goal.
It was evaluated by VAR, who decided not to recommend an On-Field Review, as it was not considered to be a clear and obvious error.
Soon after, De Bruyne set up Antonio Vergara to score the second goal, as Napoli ran out 2-0 winners over Genoa.

#goal #genoa #lopez #marassi

Matchday 23 of the 2026 Brasileirão kicked off this Saturday (15).
In the first match of the day, Fluminense came from behind to beat Palmeiras 3-2 at the Maracanã.
The match featured refereeing controversy, Hulk entering the "grandpas' ranking", and coach Abel Ferreira arguing with journalists.
Next, Athletico-PR and RB Bragantino drew 1-1 at Arena da Baixada.
The standout performer was goalkeeper Tiago Volpi, who stood on his head and shut down most of Furacão's attacking moves.

#matchday #brasileir #fluminense #maracan

Barely three weeks after the World Cup final, the first trophy of the new European soccer season is up for grabs in the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg on Wednesday.
The annual match between the most recent winners of the Champions League and Europa League also offers another chance for more grandstanding by UEFA at the expense of FIFA at a time of a growing disconnect between the two powerful soccer governing bodies in light of the recent conduct of Gianni Infantino.
That's because refereeing the game will be Omar Artan, the Somali referee who was barred by the United States from officiating at the World Cup days before the start of the tournament because of vetting concerns. U.S. officials claimed Artan had connections to terror organizations, though without providing proof.
UEFA responded by picking Artan — a referee judged the best in Africa last season — to take charge of the Super Cup, a move that was widely celebrated in the soccer community and also was regarded as a clever political ploy by the European ****** ociation.
The disharmony between UEFA and FIFA has increased since, with UEFA leading the campaign to oust Infantino from the FIFA presidency over his recent — aborted — plan to sell an interest in the World Cup.

#World #artan #recent #league

UEFA has announced the launch of Clear Line, a repository of refereeing situations.
The platform is set to offer guidance of how the Laws of the Game should be interpreted along with VAR intervention with the aim of bringing a more consistent application of decisions.
The organization added that Clear Line has more than 150 refereeing scenarios guiding on law interpretation and when VAR should or should not intervene at both domestic and UEFA competition level. It also reinforces that video review should only be used for clear and obvious errors.
UEFA Refereeing Director Roberto Rosetti said: "Clear Line is designed to provide clear and precise guidance to match officials across European football, helping to ensure greater consistency in decision-making across competitions and a more standardized approach to the use of VAR for the benefit of the game.
"While no two incidents are ever identical and occasional mistakes remain inevitable, Clear Line will provide a central reference point for players, coaches, commentators and fans, helping to explain the rationale behind refereeing decisions and promoting a greater understanding of the decision-making process."

#provide #across #helping

Former Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has been appointed as the Turkish Football Federation's new director of elite refereeing following his retirement from officiating.
The 47-year-old, who ended his 20-year refereeing career last month, will oversee the development and management of elite match officials in Turkey.
Taylor expressed his enthusiasm after taking up the position.
"I am delighted to be joining the Turkish Football Federation and look forward to the opportunity ahead," he said.
Anthony Taylor appointed Turkish refereeing chief

#turkish #refereeing #appointed

Hearts can confirm the club is appealing against Stuart Findlay's red card in Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Aberdeen.
The centre-half was shown a straight red in stoppage time following a foul on Toyosi Olusanya inside the penalty box, with Kevin Nisbet scoring the resulting spot kick to secure the Dons' victory.
"Given our player's genuine attempt to play the ball, we do not feel that a red card was merited and, as such, will be making that case to the Scottish FA," Hearts say.
"We note with interest a near identical incident during Motherwell's win over Hibs yesterday, which resulted in a yellow card for Oscar Preistman, not a red.
"Being forced to highlight the consistency, or lack thereof, in refereeing decisions after only one match of the new Scottish Premiership season is not a situation we wish to find ourselves in.

#scottish #kevin

Video ******* istant referees should only be used to change "blatantly incorrect" decisions and clear missed incidents, say European refereeing officials.
Chief refereeing officers from all 55 European national football ******* ociations met last week with Uefa refereeing officials and a representative from the International Football ******* ociation Board (Ifab) to address recent changes to the game's laws.
Attendees said "lengthy, microscoping reviews" indicate VAR has gone beyond its original scope.
When VAR was added to the laws of the game in 2018 by football's rulemakers Ifab, its "philosophy" was "minimum interference - maximum benefit", with the intention of reducing "unfairness caused by clear and obvious errors or serious missed incidents" relating to goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity.
Uefa said that at its recent meeting that refereeing bosses agreed a return to those original aims is needed.

#Football #clear #incidents #officials

After Spain defeated Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, social media users fuelled speculation about alleged FIFA favouritism with a video that appeared to show blue fireworks set off at the end of the tournament, and that it was proof that the body had only prepared for the South Americans' victory. AFP photos and footage from media outlets all show that the fireworks were white, not blue.
"Spain's victory actually crashed FIFA's show," reads a Douyin video's caption in simplified Chinese shared on July 21.
It contains a screenshot of an X post published on July 20, showing blue fireworks at a stadium, while a Spanish flag was visible in the middle.
"If FIFA World Cup final was not rigged, why were the fireworks the colours of Argentina? Their plans were ruined by Spain," the post says, implying that the fireworks match the main colours of Argentina's flag ( archived link ).
The claim feeds into the conspiracy theory that FIFA has repeatedly displayed favouritism toward the Argentine team and skipper Lionel Messi (archived here and here ). FIFA's refereeing chief previously responded that these were "unfounded allegations" ( archived link ).

#spain

Ismail Elfath will take charge of the World Cup semi-final clash between England and Argentina in Atlanta.
Born in Morocco, Elfath moved to the United States as an 18-year-old after winning a diversity visa lottery, and graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2006.
He made his refereeing debut in Major League Soccer in 2012 before becoming a Fifa-listed official in 2016, earning selection for the U20 World Cup in 2019.
Three years later, he made his bow at the senior tournament, whistling three fixtures in Qatar including the round of 16 clash between **** an and Croatia.
This semi-final will be his fourth fixture of the 2026 World Cup, with the 44-year-old having sent off Uruguay's Agustin Cannobio during their group stage encounter with Spain. He also took charge of Norway's win over Brazil in the round of 16.

Ismail Elfath will take charge of the World Cup semi-final clash between England and Argentina in Atlanta.
Born in Morocco, Elfath moved to the United States as an 18-year-old after winning a diversity visa lottery, and graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2006.
He made his refereeing debut in Major League Soccer in 2012 before becoming a Fifa-listed official in 2016, earning selection for the U20 World Cup in 2019.
Three years later, he made his bow at the senior tournament, whistling three fixtures in Qatar including the round of 16 clash between ****** an and Croatia.
This semi-final will be his fourth fixture of the 2026 World Cup, with the 44-year-old having sent off Uruguay's Agustin Cannobio during their group stage encounter with Spain. He also took charge of Norway's win over Brazil in the round of 16.

With anticipation building ahead of the World Cup semi-final, South American media outlets have offered a revealing insight into the referee appointed to oversee the clash.
Both England and Argentina reached the semi-finals via intense extra-time victories, setting up a historic clash.
However, controversy overshadows the tournament; critics claim referees are favoring Argentina following a bizarre VAR red card for Switzerland and an incident against Egypt, while FIFA’s geopolitical ban on English officials has further intensified the pre-match drama.
That’s not all, as FIFA has confirmed American referee Ismail Elfath will officiate the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina in Atlanta. ******* isted by Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, the experienced MLS official has been the subject of plenty of talk heading into Wednesday’s game.
To add to all the drama around the World Cup and its referees, La Nacion have shared what they’ve been told about Ismail Elfath and his refereeing history.

The central referees in the CBF PRO category took part last week in an immersion program in Madrid, Spain, for a series of training sessions ahead of the return of the Brazilian Championship Série A and the Copa do Brasil. The schedule included physical and technical training under the coordination of FIFA and Spanish Football Federation instructors.
The activities were held at the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and were coordinated by Jean-Baptiste Bultynck, FIFA physical and technical refereeing ****** yst, Lada Rojc, FIFA technical refereeing instructor, Juan Carlos, refereeing instructor for the Spanish Football Federation, and Jorge Martinez, coordinator of the physical department of the Spanish Football Federation.
Péricles Bassols, vice president of the Refereeing Commission of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), praised the training period at the RFEF and said the referees are returning even stronger for the rest of the Brazilian football season.
"We leave here with an even greater sense of professionalism, not only on the part of the referees, but also as instructors and managers of this process. An immersion like this brings the group together, giving the referees a sense of belonging to something that had never existed before in refereeing. And during the training days, both on the field and in the auditorium, we could see their complete commitment. We made very positive use of the technical side, but there is added value in this immersion that perhaps we cannot measure right now, which is truly their connection to the professional process."
Péricles Bassols alongside Lada Rojc, FIFA technical refereeing instructor, in one of the theoretical classes at the RFEFCredits: Fabio Souza/ CBF

World Cup drama reached new heights as England and Argentina booked their places in the semi-finals, though not without controversy.
The latest flashpoints only added to the growing debate over refereeing decisions that has followed this tournament from the outset, and there's no time to catch your breath.
England clinched a dramatic 2-1 extra-time win over Norway in the quarter-final, coming from behind to set up a heavyweight semi-final tie against reigning champions Argentina.
Jude Bellingham was the architect of England's comeback. After scoring a brilliant equaliser on the stroke of half-time, the Real Madrid midfielder pounced on Orjan Nyland's error to send the Vikings home.
Despite steering the Three Lions within distance of their first World Cup triumph since 1966, Thomas Tuchel was not happy with his side's performance at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.

Bahia were far from pleased with the refereeing decisions led by Jodis Nascimento de Souza during this Sunday's (12) friendly against Fluminense.
The Rio de Janeiro side beat the team from Bahia 2-0 thanks to goals from Hulk and Germán Cano.
And coach Rogério Ceni did not hold back after the match at the Maracanã.
Two incidents prompted the outburst: Erick's disallowed goal for an alleged foul by Willian José — when the score was still 0-0 — and a possible penalty on Ademir that was not given.
Ceni pointed out that he had requested referees from outside Rio de Janeiro, which did not happen.

In this electric, late-night episode of The Cooligans After Dark, Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros fire up the microphones live from Miami to unpack a chaotic day of World Cup quarterfinal action. The guys kick off with Argentina’s high-stakes 3-1 victory over Switzerland, a match far tighter than the final scoreline suggests. They dive headfirst into the massive refereeing controversy surrounding Breel Embolo's game-altering second yellow card for simulation. Spurred by the new "mistaken identity" VAR protocol, the hosts engage in a fierce debate over whether video review belongs anywhere near yellow cards, while praising a clutch, world-class brace from Julián Álvarez that saved an exhausted, human-looking Lionel Messi against a disciplined Swiss squad anchored by a legendary Granit Xhaka.
The theater only intensifies as the guys shift focus to the watch party tour's very first extra-time thriller: England's dramatic 2-1 triumph over Norway. Alexis and Christian tackle a double dose of tournament controversy, starting with Erling Haaland’s disallowed go-ahead goal that was nullified by a highly questionable, soft defensive flop. They then dissect Jude Bellingham’s crucial equalizer, which was clouded by allegations that a Norwegian goal kick struck an overhead skycam cable—a claim the players explicitly pointed out but FIFA's advanced ball sensors conveniently denied.
To close out the night, the hosts look down the bracket to preview the ***** anic semifinal matchups ahead. Christian and Alexis trade tactical blueprints and drop official score predictions for the highly anticipated Spain vs. France heavyweight bout. Finally, they map out the psychological warfare and massive historical narratives set to collide when the Three Lions meet Argentina with a spot in the World Cup Final on the line.
Timestamps:
(00:00) — Cooligans After Dark: Live from Miami & Tense Argentina vs. Switzerland Reactions

Murat Yakin, Switzerland’s head coach, blasted the new football rules after the match that sealed his team’s fate in the World Cup.
"There was no reason for that booking, it was an innocent, harmless situation. The refereeing mistake punished us because of an unacceptable rule that has eliminated us in this way. I don’t know how the referee and VAR came to that conclusion." .
"This rule ruined the match. There was no reason for that yellow card, I repeat. In that situation, play should simply have continued," he told the press.
Switzerland were left with 10 men on the field right at their best moment against Argentina, after Embolo was shown a second yellow card under the “false identity” rule.

The World Cup quarter-final between England and Norway is living up to the hype. It took a little while to get going, but before half-time the match really picked up pace.
The first real statement came from the Scandinavians through Andreas Schjelderup. Just under ten minutes before the break, the 22-year-old blasted the ball over England keeper Jordan Pickford from an apparently impossible angle and into the top corner.
The Three Lions protested furiously, as Harry Kane had lost the ball before the goal. But was he fairly dispossessed, or did referee Clément Turpin miss a foul?
The TV replays showed no clear foul. MagentaTV refereeing expert Patrick Ittrich also could not identify any infringement in the build-up to the goal.
The blow had landed, and the Three Lions looked shaken. Norway even missed the chance to score a second during this spell. Then, in first-half stoppage time, it was Jude Bellingham who gave his team renewed belief.

Argentina's football ***** ociation has indicated it may have been the target of a cyber attack after emails from its official accounts reportedly criticised refereeing in the national team's 3-2 win against Egypt at the World Cup.
The reigning world champions looked set for a shock last-16 exit when they trailed Egypt 2-0 but produced a remarkable late comeback to reach the quarter-finals.
Following the defeat, the Egyptian Football ***** ociation asked Fifa to banish from the tournament the French referee Francois Letexier and the team of officials who were in charge, alleging bias in favour of Argentina.
Argentine news outlet La Calle reported emails sent from the Argentine Football ***** ociation's (AFA) account to journalists after the match stated "Argentina did not win" and the result was a result of "corrupt refereeing decisions".
The publication said that AFA sources indicated a group of Egyptian-origin hackers were behind the emails, which also praised Egypt's performance.

The 2026 World Cup hasn’t been without its controversy, as politics continues to be heavily involved in the decision-making.
It’s safe to say that the 2026 World Cup has officially entered its tinfoil-hat era, thanks to a string of truly unhinged refereeing decisions.
Things got so messy after Argentina knocked out Egypt that fans went full detective mode online, claiming the whole tournament was scripted after a couple of debatable calls.
And to prove they weren’t actually running a massive con, FIFA panicked and dragged their VAR officials out of secret remote rooms, planting them directly into stadiums instead. Turns out, hiding your video refs in a distant bunker is a fantastic way to make the entire world think you’re rigging the games.
Former England referee chief Keith Hackett upheld the integrity of the decision-making, stating that there has been no fixing at the World Cup.

Argentine referee Facundo Tello will take charge of France's quarter-final with Morocco and already finds himself at the centre of the latest refereeing controversy to hit World Cup 2026, before a ball has even been kicked.
Fifa has infuriated French fans and media by selecting Tello, as part of a fully Argentine five-man crew, for the clash in Boston on Thursday evening.
It marks the first time this tournament that every match official for a knockout fixture hails from the same nation, and comes at a time where accusations of favouritism towards Argentina are at their peak.
France vs Morocco LIVE: World Cup build-up after Fifa reject Olise appeal and Atlas Lions hit with injury blow
Holders Argentina controversially progressed to the quarter-finals after pulling off a miraculous late comeback against Egypt, winning 3-2 after trailing 2-0 to the Pharaohs, who had a goal controversially disallowed and protested angrily over a perceived foul in the build-up to Enzo Fernandez's stoppage-time winner.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup enters the quarterfinal stage this Thursday (9), but debates over refereeing and the use of technology have already taken over the tournament.
The Spanish newspaper Marca put together a list of the most controversial decisions that have marked the competition so far. Check it out below!
'The Balogun case'
According to the publication, the biggest controversy happened off the pitch. American forward Folarin Balogun was supposed to serve a suspension after being sent off, but was cleared to play against Belgium after FIFA postponed the punishment.
The review of the card came right after an intervention by U.S. president Donald Trump, sparking controversy and accusations of political interference in FIFA, something the organization denied.