FIFA World Cup 2026: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Fuels Egypt 'Robbed' By Argentina Row
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Egypt were "robbed" in the 2-3 defeat against Argentina at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sided with Egypt over refereeing in World Cup quarter-final
- Mamdani referenced Egypt's loss to Argentina during a speech on improving NYC bus services
- Egypt lost 3-2 to Argentina after trailing 0-2 until the 78th minute in a controversial match
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani seems to be siding with Egypt, who were undone by defending FIFA World Cup champions Argentina in a controversial quarter-final clash on Tuesday. A number of refereeing decisions went against the Pharaohs, with the team's coach and several players calling the tournament 'rigged' and favouring Argentina. Mamdani, who was speaking to his constituents on Wednesday, joined the "Egypt were robbed by Argentina" brigade, suggesting the African side was beaten not by sporting merit but by 'favouritism'.
The occasion of Mamdani's address was the launch of a new initiative to accelerate bus services in the city, titled "Next Stop: Better Buses, Faster Service". However, he could not resist making a reference to Egypt's devastating defeat against Argentina while speaking to constituents on Wednesday.
"Now, if you take the bus to work, that adds up fast," he said at the beginning of his address. "Within six months, you will have spent 24 fewer hours on the bus. By the time a year rolls around, you will have saved more than two days of commuting time.
"That means breakfast with your family. It means having the time to argue balls and strikes at your kid's Little League game. It means getting home for bedtime."
The social welfare address quickly shifted into arguably the hottest debate in the world as he said: "It means agreeing with your friends that Egypt were robbed yesterday. Above all, it means time returned to New Yorkers who don't have nearly enough of it."
NEW: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says that Egypt were “robbed” in yesterday's World Cup game against Argentina pic.twitter.com/bigWXCN04q
— Politics Global (@PolitlcsGlobal) July 8, 2026
What Is the Egypt 'Robbed' by Argentina Controversy?
Despite trailing 0-2 until the 78th minute, Argentina produced a remarkable comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 and qualify for the semi-finals. However, certain on-field incidents raised questions, with many suggesting that the referee favoured Lionel Messi's team during some decisive moments.
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In the second half, Egypt had a goal ruled out due to a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) intervention, after the referee concluded that a foul had taken place more than 10 seconds before Mostafa Ziko scored for the African side.
Though Egypt made it 2-0 minutes later, a potential 3-0 cushion would arguably have made the Argentine comeback even tougher. The twists in the game leading to Argentina's 3-2 win were such that one Egyptian star declared the World Cup was "fixed".
Argentina
Egypt