The FIFA World Cup 2026 has already seen its fair share of refereeing controversies and England was in the middle of another heated debate during their Group L match against Ghana on Tuesday.
Just days after football fans lamented Lionel Messi’s punishment for what many called a “red-card offence”, another controversial decision has led to a storm of criticism. Ghana thought they were denied a penalty when defender Ezri Konsa brought down Prince Kwabena Adu inside the box.
The referee waved play on and despite considerable scrutiny, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) did not intervene. Ghana was outraged and social media exploded with criticism.
Ghana Feel Robbed After VAR Stays Silent
The incident occurred in the 79th minute when Prince Kwabena Adu surged toward England’s goal.
As the Ghana forward entered the penalty area, Konsa appeared to launch into a challenge with both feet while trying to stop the attack. Replays showed the Aston Villa defender made contact with Adu without touching the ball. Ghana players had appealed to the referee, but he stood by his original decision.
Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann said on BBC Sport that England were lucky to escape punishment.
"We had our hearts in our mouths when we saw Ezri Konsa make that challenge. I'm very delighted it wasn't given as an England fan. But I have to be honest, this should have been referred to the referee."
Cann went even further in his assessment.
"Konsa makes no contact at all with the ball; he brings down his opponent. He's airborne, he's out of control, he makes contact with the attacker and no contact with the ball. This is a penalty kick for me."
The former official also added that VAR has mostly supported on-field decisions during the tournament, if there is an obvious error.
England Set an Unwanted Record
While England may be relieved to have escaped the penalty controversy, the bigger concern for Thomas Tuchel's side is their performance in front of goal.
The goalless draw saw England set an unwanted World Cup record with yet another high-profile 0-0 result despite dominating large parts of the match.
The result doesn’t necessarily show England’s defensive strength. But it’s the same thing that has haunted the Three Lions in so many big tournaments— they can’t take chances in big games. England fired an astonishing 25 shots against Ghana but failed to find the breakthrough.
With top-tier opposition and well-organized defenses, England still creates chances but at times doesn’t take the ultimate finish in game one. For an expected team that was among the favorites to win the World Cup, it was the draw that was a major warning sign.
Ghana Deliver a Reality Check
Ghana entered the competition as underdogs but managed one of the most disciplined performances of the tournament. Their defensive organization frustrated England throughout the game and their attacking transitions repeatedly caused problems for Tuchel's side.
Had the penalty been awarded and converted, Ghana could have secured a famous 1-0 victory over one of the tournament favorites. Instead, they settled for a hard-earned point that keeps their hopes alive in Group L.
Croatia Edge Panama in Hard-Fought Battle
And Croatia secured a vital 1-0 win against Panama in another fiercely fought match. The Europeans had to work hard for every inch of the pitch as Panama defended resolutely but Croatia got the decisive breakthrough to win the three points.
The win increases Croatia’s position in the group and is a clear pointer to the knockouts.
Colombia Climb to the Top
Colombia defeated DR Congo 1-0 on Sunday to move to the top of their group ahead of Portugal.
The South Americans dominated possession and won midfield battles, creating numerous scoring opportunities throughout the match. And despite their superiority in almost every statistical category, Colombia could only manage a single goal.
For all that, the performance showed their quality but the inability to add more goals means that there is still room for improvement as the tournament goes on.
World Cup Producing Drama On and Off the Pitch
As the group stage of FIFA World Cup 2026 continues, drama is unfolding from every angle. Every matchday is creating new controversies and new stories that are coming to the fore with controversial refereeing decisions, VAR disputes, surprising results, and tournament favorites being the big story.
For England, the immediate concern is not that they escaped the officiating controversy, but that they are not making their dominance count as goals anymore. If the Three Lions are serious contenders for the World Cup crown, they need to find answers quickly before the knockout rounds arrive.
