The refereeing authorities must ban Mr. Ilgiz Tantashev from officiating after the utterly farcical match he presided over. He failed to call blatant fouls and did not control the game.

During the match, several flagrant fouls went unpunished, exposing players to unnecessary risks of serious injury. The referee completely lost control of the game against Paraguayan players who were engaging in blatant unsporting behavior. They received no cards, whereas the French team was issued three yellow cards.

Football is a sport where player safety must come first. Allowing this referee to continue officiating at the 2026 World Cup would be irresponsible and could further exacerbate the situation, compromising both the integrity of the competition and the health of the players.

It is imperative that FIFA take firm action to bar this referee from any future participation in the World Cup. In doing so, we protect not only the current players but also the spirit and fairness of the game we all cherish.