FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina has firmly rejected suggestions that match officials at the FIFA World Cup 2026 are subject to outside influence, insisting that not even the FIFA President holds sway over refereeing decisions.

Speaking after the conclusion of the Round of 16 — with 96 matches completed and eight quarter-finals still to come — Collina noted that this edition of the tournament has already featured 50 percent more games than the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. He acknowledged that errors are inevitable at such a scale, but stressed that officials respond by preparing harder for each successive match.

A warning over threats to officials

Collina drew a sharp distinction between legitimate debate about decisions and what he described as unfounded allegations. He warned that irresponsible accusations can trigger threats against referees and their families, calling such behaviour unacceptable.