Calls for Argentina’s World Cup exclusion
Following the 2026 World Cup final, a petition advocating for Argentina’s lifetime expulsion from the tournament has garnered significant attention. The petition, titled “Leave, Argentina,” accumulated over 23 million signatures, surpassing its initial target of 5 million signatures. According to Euro News, the total reached 23,316,108 signatures. The petition’s creators allege bias from FIFA and referees in favour of Argentina and captain Lionel Messi, questioning the fairness of competition when the outcome is perceived as predetermined.
This petition came close to breaking the record for the largest signed petition in history, a record held by “Jubilee 2000,” which gathered over 24 million signatures in 1997. Despite the large number of signatures, there has been no official response regarding Argentina’s exclusion. The petition’s official website concluded with the statement: “FIFA ignored us, but Spain kept its promises, thank you Spain.”
The final saw Spain defeat Argentina to secure their second World Cup title. The decisive goal was scored by Ferran Torres in the 106th minute at MetLife Stadium, assisted by Nico Williams. The match, officiated by Slovenia’s Slavko Vincic, was marked by controversy. Argentina’s Mac Allister and Nicolas Tagliafico avoided cards for fouls, while Spain had two goals disallowed, scored by Nico Williams and Ferran Torres.
Controversies extended beyond the final match. Throughout the tournament, a series of refereeing decisions sparked debate, particularly concerning Argentina’s conduct. Incidents included Lionel Messi’s tackle on Aissa Mandi during the Argentina-Algeria match, which some refereeing experts suggested warranted a red card. The round-of-16 clash against Egypt also drew criticism, with Egypt’s manager Hossam Hassan claiming his team lost due to external factors, implying marketing reasons influenced decisions to keep Messi in the tournament.
Petitions for a final replay
Separately, Argentinian fans have launched a petition on Change.org calling for a replay of the World Cup final. This petition, initiated by Gisela Sanchez, has surpassed 80,000 signatures. Supporters allege officiating “irregularities” during the match and accuse referee Slavko Vinčič of being “bribed to influence the match’s outcome.” The petition’s description highlights concerns about the integrity of referees and calls for FIFA to review the incidents with transparency.
The petition claims that video evidence supports the allegations of biased officiating that favoured one team and altered the match’s natural course. It argues that this is not only a matter of justice for Argentina but also for the future of global football, emphasizing the need to ensure the integrity of referees at all levels of the sport. Despite these claims, FIFA regulations do not permit replays based on fan dissatisfaction, and the governing body has not indicated any intention to review the request.
The final whistle of the match led to confrontations on the pitch, prompting FIFA to launch an investigation. An incident involving Argentina’s Nahuel Molina and Manchester City midfielder Rodri, where Molina reportedly hit Rodri in the chest, contributed to the post-match tensions. The petition for a replay had gathered over 82,000 signatures as of Thursday morning.
A similar petition was launched by France fans following their semi-final defeat to Spain, which also garnered over 80,000 signatures, concerning a disputed incident leading to an opening goal.
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Source: goal.com
