The FIFA World Cup quarterfinal lineup is complete after a dramatic round of 16 that featured late comebacks and upsets. France, Morocco, Norway, England, Spain, Belgium, Argentina and Switzerland have secured their places, with matches set to be played across the United States.

However, the tournament remains overshadowed by officiating controversies. Egypt has alleged bias following its 3-2 defeat to Argentina, with coach Hossam Hassan accusing FIFA of favoring the defending champions. A late VAR decision disallowed Egypt's second goal, shifting momentum. Hassan told beIN Sports: "Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running. The world champions received support at every level."

This follows FIFA's controversial decision to overturn USA striker Folarin Balogun's red-card suspension after a public request by US President Donald Trump. Balogun returned for the round-of-16 loss to Belgium, but the episode raised concerns about political influence on football's governing body.

An Argentina fan was seen waving an Israeli flag during the match against Egypt, seen by some as a provocation toward Hassan, who had dedicated Egypt's historic knockout victory to the people of Gaza.

Two US team staff members—team manager Sam Zapatka and USSF Vice President of Security Frank Pannell—were suspended by FIFA for the Belgium match. FIFA did not explain the reason, and USSF said it was unrelated to the Balogun case.

Source: www.aljazeera.com