Turkey’s appeal for a World Cup replay rejected by FIFA

Turkey’s World Cup 2026 campaign ended with a 1-0 loss to Paraguay, but the fallout continued after the Turkish federation reportedly asked FIFA for a replay. Turkish media said the request stemmed from an unusual incident in which a Paraguayan player picked up the referee’s watch after it fell to the pitch and then wore it on his wrist during the match.

According to the Sabah report cited in the article, Turkey argued that the incident undermined the referee’s authority and could have affected his ability to manage the game properly. The federation said football rules allow a replay in exceptional cases when the officiating team’s ability to do its job is compromised.

FIFA turned down the request. The governing body said some of the concerns made sense, but the case did not meet the extraordinary threshold needed for a replay. It noted that the referee was not materially affected, in part because he had a second watch and was able to continue officiating normally.

The episode adds to a growing list of refereeing disputes surrounding World Cup 2026. Even with FIFA’s refusal, the issue appears likely to remain a talking point in Turkey after the team’s painful elimination from the tournament.