Pierluigi Collina, the man whose piercing stare once terrified strikers across Europe, is now using it to stare down critics of World Cup officiating. FIFA’s chief refereeing officer declared on July 9 that match officials are “not influenced by anyone” and that “nobody can question the integrity” of their decision-making during the 2026 tournament.
FIFA is simultaneously navigating a firestorm over controversial calls and celebrating its first-ever crypto exchange sponsorship, a deal with Kraken that was announced on June 9.
The integrity question
Collina’s defense comes after a string of officiating controversies that have dominated the tournament’s narrative. Argentina’s 3-2 round-of-16 victory over Egypt drew particular scrutiny, with fans and pundits questioning multiple calls throughout the match.
The noise reached an unusual crescendo when US President Donald Trump weighed in publicly on referee Raphael Claus.
