The group stage of the 2026 World Cup began with significant refereeing controversies, highlighting inconsistencies among officials. Central to the uproar was Dutch referee Danny Makkelie, whose performance during the match between the USA and Paraguay drew sharp criticism, revealing serious communication issues between on-field officials and the VAR team.
Details: As reported by Archivo VAR, Makkelie received a notably low rating of 2.5 out of 10, making him the primary focus of discontent in the opening rounds. Experts have observed a marked decline in his officiating standards in recent months, with this match featuring two critical errors, including a wrongful foul call and a failure to issue a yellow card for a dangerous challenge on American player Gio Reyna.
In contrast, other referees demonstrated more balanced performances. Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio was rated at 6.0 for his handling of the match between Mexico and South Africa, despite a mistake in sending off Zwane for a minor infraction. Egyptian official Amin Mohamed scored 6.5 for his decisive officiating during the South Korea vs. Czech Republic game, while Argentine referee Facundo Tello received a score of 5.0, criticized for chaotic card distribution and a VAR error involving offside technology.
IShowSpeed celebrated the USA’s goal so wildly that he nearly fell out the window of his VIP box.