On his days off from officiating, Francois Letexier occasionally finds himself at the doorstep of strangers, bearing official documents that make his presence unwelcome even before he speaks. This week, he has become the most prominent referee at the World Cup, facing calls from Egypt for his removal from the tournament, highlighting the intersection of his dual careers.
Letexier serves as a huissier de justice, or bailiff, acting on behalf of the French legal system to deliver notices and enforce court rulings that recipients often dread. His focus lies primarily on rental disputes and cases of illegal occupation, particularly evictions, which can create tense interactions. He stumbled upon this profession during his time in law school and appreciated its practical nature, though he did not foresee it becoming a defining aspect of his identity as a referee.
When asked about the similarities between his two roles, he explained to the French media outlet Brut, “Football evokes intense emotions, and similarly, my work as a bailiff often sees me in situations where I am not welcomed. Both roles demand that I adapt to various reactions.”
Letexier dedicates five to six days a week to training for refereeing, in addition to managing his caseload as a bailiff. He views these two careers as complementary, and there is a practical reason for maintaining both: French referees are not full-time professionals, and the nature of football can be unpredictable. The income from his bailiff work provides stability, serving as a grounding force in a sport he describes as extraordinary.
This week, however, has been anything but ordinary. During a match on Tuesday night in Atlanta, Letexier ruled out a goal from Egypt due to a foul in the buildup, dismissed a late penalty appeal from Hamdy Fathy, and issued a red card to an Egyptian coaching staff member, as Argentina scored three late goals to secure a 3-2 victory. At one point, Hossam Hassan, the manager of Egypt, crossed his arms in front of Letexier, a gesture that FIFA recognizes as a signal for reporting racial abuse. The interpretation of that moment is contested, but there is no dispute about the outcome: Argentina advanced in the tournament.
By Wednesday, the president of Egypt’s football federation had lodged a formal complaint seeking Letexier’s expulsion from the remainder of the tournament. In response, Letexier disabled his Instagram account. According to L’Equipe, FIFA is set to review his officiating performance before deciding whether he will referee any more matches, although there is a straightforward reason he might be sidelined: FIFA typically avoids assigning referees from countries still competing, and France remains in the tournament.
Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s refereeing chief, went beyond simply promising a review. He labeled the criticism as unfounded, asserting that the integrity of World Cup officials is beyond question and cautioning that such scrutiny places referees and their families at risk. “The integrity of FIFA World Cup match officials should never be questioned,” he stated.
This controversy even spilled over into another press conference. When asked on Wednesday about Thursday’s quarter-final against Morocco being officiated by an all-Argentine team led by Facundo Tello, Didier Deschamps did not evade the question but rather approached it with care. “Let’s hope our officials are as competent as Monsieur Letexier was,” he remarked.
There is historical precedent for what might happen next, and it is not reassuring. In the 2002 World Cup, Ecuador’s Byron Moreno faced blame from Italy for their exit at the hands of co-host South Korea, and although FIFA never made it official, he did not officiate again in that tournament.
At 37 years old, Letexier was recently recognized by the IFFHS as the best referee in the world for 2024, becoming the first Frenchman to win the title since Michel Vautrot in 1989. While his credentials remain intact this week, FIFA has not yet clarified whether he will officiate again during this tournament, and that uncertainty will ultimately determine his fate. He has encountered similar challenges before; a contentious penalty and two red cards issued during a 2022 match in Nice resulted in death threats against him. He understands what it means to knock on a door, only to realize that the significance of the paperwork is lost on those within.
