Petition to Remove Argentina From 2026 World Cup Tops 12 Million Signatures After Final Berth
- A petition calling for Argentina's expulsion from the 2026 World Cup surpassed 10 million signatures after the semi-final
- The campaign accused FIFA and referees of favouring Lionel Messi and Argentina, though no official evidence has been presented
- Lionel Messi provided two assists as Argentina came from behind to beat England 2-1 and reach the World Cup final
A petition calling on FIFA to expel Argentina from the 2026 FIFA World Cup has surpassed 10 million signatures following the reigning champions' dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the semi-finals.
Argentina booked their place in Sunday's World Cup final after producing a stunning late comeback, overturning Anthony Gordon's opener with goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez.
Source: Getty Images
Petition against Argentina gathers millions of signatures
The petition, launched by Argentina.com, became one of the fastest-growing online campaigns after reportedly attracting 3.2 million signatures within its first 24 hours.
Following Argentina's victory over England, the total number of signatures climbed past 10 million, reflecting the growing frustration among some football fans during the tournament.
The petition alleges that FIFA and match officials have favoured Lionel Messi and Argentina throughout the competition.
"It is obvious that FIFA and the referees are biased toward Lionel Messi and Argentina. Why should the rest of the world compete when the winner has already been decided? Kick Argentina out of the World Cup and give everyone else a fair chance," the petition states.
The campaign gained momentum after Argentina's Round of 16 victory over Egypt, a match that sparked widespread debate over several refereeing decisions. Since then, allegations of preferential treatment towards Messi's side have continued to circulate across social media.
However, there is no official evidence from FIFA confirming the allegations made in the petition, and Argentina remain eligible to compete in the tournament.
Messi inspires Argentina into another World Cup final
On the pitch, Argentina once again relied on the brilliance of Lionel Messi to reach the final.
England looked set to end their 60-year wait for a World Cup final after Anthony Gordon gave the Three Lions the lead.
But in the closing stages, Messi orchestrated a remarkable comeback. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner first played a short corner to Enzo Fernandez, who fired a spectacular long-range effort beyond Jordan Pickford in the 86th minute.
Moments later, Messi produced another decisive contribution, delivering a pinpoint cross that Lautaro Martinez headed home deep into stoppage time to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory.
Argentina will now face Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final as they attempt to defend the title they won in Qatar four years earlier.
Source: YEN.com.gh
