By Tariq Khan
Ghana should join calls for an inquiry into FIFA’s officiating — and concrete action to restore fairness and trust.
PHOENIX, AZ: I grew up in Italy in the 1960s, immersed in the world’s most popular sport. I have followed every FIFA World Cup and European Championship for more than six decades. The first World Cup I experienced was Chile 1962, following the matches on radio and imagining the drama unfolding thousands of miles away.
My earliest football memories were shaped by legends such as Argentine-born Italian star Omar Sivori, Brazilian star Jose Altafini, and Welsh great John Charles, who became icons of Serie A during one of Italian football’s golden eras.
These were among the many stars of an era that also included Cesare Maldini, Gianni Rivera, Sandro Mazzola, and Gigi Riva. Growing up, I saw the tactical sophistication of Italian football and the physical, fast-paced traditions of Northern European soccer, which gave me a deep appreciation for the nuances of the game.
Even after moving to the United States in 2000, my passion for football never faded. So when the FIFA World Cup came to the United States, Canada, and Mexico, I was thrilled that the world’s greatest sporting spectacle would finally be taking place in my own backyard.
However, this World Cup has also revived a problem that has haunted the beautiful game for decades: controversial officiating.
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I still remember the frustration of watching Italy’s controversial exit from the 2002 World Cup, when several important decisions went against the Azzurri, including five disallowed goals in three matches, notably against Croatia and South Korea. For many Italian fans, those moments remain among the most painful chapters in World Cup history.
Technology was introduced to bring greater accuracy and reduce such controversies. Yet the arrival of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system has not ended the debate. Instead, it has raised new questions about interpretation, consistency, and how technology is applied.
The officiating in the Egypt-Argentina match, which Argentina won 3-2 after trailing 2-0, was particularly controversial and has reignited questions about how football’s biggest matches are controlled.
On Thursday, FIFA’s referee chief Pierluigi Collina defended the organization’s position regarding the officiating and VAR decisions in the Argentina-Egypt game, saying there was “no bias, nor malicious intent” behind the calls.
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Collina is a figure of impeccable pedigree in world football. Widely regarded as one of the greatest referees of all time, he officiated the 2002 World Cup final and built a reputation as a strict referee able to remain calm and fair in the toughest games.
He has been with FIFA since 2017, and it is not surprising that FIFA has relied on him to defend contentious refereeing decisions and the use of VAR. However, even when officials act in good faith, FIFA must still ask whether its systems apply the same standards to every team.
Bias does not always have to be overt, intentional, or malicious — and such claims are extremely difficult to prove. More often, bias can be unconscious, shaped by cultures, traditions, historical patterns, and assumptions that become embedded over time.
Sports institutions, like all human institutions, must continually examine their decision-making processes. In a global competition involving nations with vastly different histories, resources, and influence, the perception of fairness matters almost as much as fairness itself.
The issue goes beyond one referee, one VAR decision, or one controversial match. It is about whether FIFA’s systems ensure that every nation — regardless of its footballing history, economic influence, or global profile — competes under the same standards.
Ghana experienced its own refereeing controversy in the match against England, which was a goalless draw. A Ghananian attacker, clear of the English defenders and with a potential scoring opportunity, was hacked down by the England goalkeeper just outside the penalty area. Yet no foul was awarded, no red card was issued, and play continued.
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The Ghanaian players were either too timid or too flustered to protest vociferously. Any attempts to draw attention to the incident and prompt a VAR review were brushed aside.
A different decision might have altered not only the result of the match but Ghana’s path through the tournament.
That moment cannot be reversed. But it should not simply be forgotten. Ghana, Egypt, and other federations concerned about officiating standards should push FIFA for reforms that strengthen confidence in the system.
The first step is transparency. Press — and keep pressing — for a full explanation of why VAR was not used. Obtain FIFA’s official explanation, which it no doubt already possesses, and compare it with the reasons the foul committed by the England goalkeeper was not reviewed by VAR. Determine whether the failure to review what was clearly a red-card offense was documented in the match notes and official reports. The Ghana Football Association should request a copy of those records, and they should be made publicly available for scrutiny and future reference.
A broader review of VAR implementation is also necessary. Decisions should be examined across the tournament by match, team, referee, type of incident, and final outcome to determine whether patterns of inconsistency exist.
If FIFA is unwilling to conduct such an analysis publicly, national federations and independent football experts should consider their own structured reviews using available match footage and data.
Players and officials must also adapt. Teams should be better prepared to respond when they believe major mistakes have occurred. There are calm, respectful yet persistent ways to seek clarification without risking unnecessary yellow or red cards. Players can learn from teams that effectively question decisions while staying within the rules.
If evidence shows significant inconsistencies, FIFA should undertake a broader review of officiating methods. Football has become too important for avoidable errors to determine outcomes, even when officials are supported by technology.
This applies not only to major incidents such as potential red-card offenses, but also to smaller moments that can influence matches: missed corners, unseen deflections, shirt pulling, or physical challenges that are interpreted differently from one game to another.
Inconsistency damages confidence among players and fans. The goal should not be to remove the human element from football, but to build a system where technology strengthens fairness and trust.
Soccer is the most widely watched sport in the world, with an estimated global following of more than 3.5 billion people. Protecting the integrity of the game should therefore be FIFA’s highest priority.
The question is whether football’s current officiating model is sufficient for the modern era. FIFA should consider whether elements used in other major sports — including additional officials and more structured video review systems — could improve oversight without disrupting the flow of play.
It may be too early to argue that the NFL’s officiating methods should be adopted in football, but if the commercialization and financialization of the game continue, calls for greater precision and accuracy in officiating will only grow louder.
No system will eliminate every mistake. Human judgment will always remain part of football, and that is part of the sport’s character. But technology should help referees reach more accurate and consistent decisions.
In a World Cup, one call can change a match, end a nation’s dream, and undermine confidence in the competition.
The game’s greatest moments should be determined by the brilliance of players — not by preventable officiating errors.
The beautiful game deserves nothing less.
(Tariq Khan is a venture investor focused on early-stage startups. He divides his time between New York and Phoenix, mentoring founders and entrepreneurs as they prepare to raise capital. He remains closely involved with many of the companies he mentors, serving as a board member or advisor when needed. In 2006, he co-founded Games24x7, which went on to become a unicorn in India. A lifelong sports enthusiast, particularly of soccer, he has been a devoted supporter of Juventus FC and the Italian national team. He continues to ponder two enduring questions: why Juventus has lost seven UEFA Champions League finals in recent decades, and why Italy has failed to qualify for three consecutive FIFA World Cups. He can be reached at tk@wemanage.com.)