Algeria Files FIFA Complaint Over Refereeing Injustice Against Argentina

Argentina's Lionel Messi and Algeria's Rayan Ait-Nouri battle for the ball during the World Cup Group J football match between Argentina and Algeria in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo)

Algeria have filed a complaint with FIFA over what they described as "refereeing injustice" during their opening FIFA World Cup defeat to Argentina, news agency AFP reported, quoting an Algerian football federation source.

The complaint centres on an incident involving Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who caught Algeria defender Aissa Mandi on the calf with a studs-up challenge from behind in the 30th minute of Tuesday's match but was not shown a card.

Messi had already put Argentina ahead before the challenge and later went on to score a hat-trick.

Algeria supporters called for the forward to be sent off after the tackle on Mandi, but no disciplinary action was taken and Messi remained on the field.

"The complaint primarily concerns Messi's challenge, which deserved a red card, in everyone's opinion," the federation source was quoted as saying by AFP.

"There were also two elbow incidents... Both of which warranted dismissals."

"We are not saying that the Argentine team was not strong, but we cannot remain silent in the face of injustice," the source added, as quoted by AFP.

"There were three incidents that were crystal clear, and VAR did not intervene."

Messi's hat-trick saw him draw level with Miroslav Klose as the joint-highest scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals.

Algeria will face Jordan in their second Group J match on Monday before taking on Austria on June 27.

Argentina, meanwhile, will play Austria in Dallas on Monday.

Algeria are aiming to reach the World Cup knockout stage for only the second time in their history, having previously advanced to the last 16 in 2014 before losing in extra time to eventual champions Germany.