A controversial refereeing call in England’s FIFA World Cup 2026 clash against Ghana has triggered widespread debate, with many fans and pundits questioning why Ghana were not awarded a late penalty.
The tournament has already seen several disputed officiating decisions. Earlier, Lionel Messi faced criticism after avoiding a booking for an incident some observers believed deserved a red card. Now, the focus has shifted to England’s Group L match against Ghana, where a challenge by defender Ezri Konsa inside the box went unpunished.
Ghana forward Prince Kwabena Adu appeared to be brought down by Konsa during the closing stages of Tuesday’s match. Despite strong appeals from the Ghana players, the referee did not point to the spot, while the Video Assistant Referee system also chose not to recommend an on-field review.
The incident occurred in the 79th minute as Adu made his way towards England goalkeeper Dean Henderson’s goal. Konsa appeared to launch into the challenge with both feet off the ground while attempting to stop the Ghana attacker. Replays suggested that the defender did not make contact with the ball before colliding with Adu.
A retired referee, Cann, said the decision was fortunate for England and argued that the incident should have been reviewed. “We had our hearts in our mouths when we saw Ezri Konsa make that challenge,” Cann said. “As an England fan, I’m delighted it was not given, but I believe it should have been referred to the referee.” He added that Konsa appeared to make contact with the player rather than the ball, making a strong case for a penalty. “Konsa does not touch the ball. He is airborne, not fully in control, and makes contact with the attacker. For me, that is a penalty,” Cann said.
Ghana produced a determined performance against one of the tournament favourites and secured a 0-0 draw. However, the African side may feel they missed a major opportunity to claim all three points, as a converted penalty could have handed them a famous 1-0 win.