French fans demand replay after alleged hand by Yamal

Supporters of France have launched a petition that has already gathered more than 50,000 signatures, calling for the 0‑2 semi‑final defeat to Espagne to be replayed after what they describe as a hand by Lamine Yamal. The demand reflects deep frustration with the outcome of the Coupe du monde 2026 match. The petition explicitly states that the alleged hand occurred seconds before Lucas Digne was fouled inside the penalty area, and that the referee should have stopped play before awarding the penalty. Signatories argue that the decision to allow the spot‑kick directly altered the course of the game. Many of the 50,000 signatories label the refereeing decision as unfair and claim it changed the result, with some accusing the officials of cheating. They maintain that France should never have been forced to defend the penalty situation.

Saliba’s early exit forces France into a World Cup semi‑final crisis

This is not the first occasion French fans have demanded a replay; a similar petition circulated after the Euro 2016 final loss to Portugal, a 1‑0 defeat at the Stade de France. A decade later, the new elimination has revived the same grievances among supporters. Didier Deschamps stopped short of asking for a replay but openly criticised the officiating. He said, "I wonder whether the referee had the level for a World Cup semi‑final; I am not going to answer that and I am not saying this because we lost, but there were certain situations… often to our disadvantage," after the match. NOUVEAU Reçois des notifications pour chaque news importante ! The call to stay informed has been added to the campaign’s messaging. Inscris‑toi ICI ! Ajoutez Walfoot comme source préférée sur Google ! The petition page also urges fans to subscribe to the Walfoot newsletter and to set the site as their preferred news source.