Photo: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
The authors of the petition claim that the Argentine team is gaining an advantage due to controversial refereeing decisions in the tournament’s matches, according to Gazeta. In their view, the popularity of national team captain Lionel Messi and the soccer community’s attitude toward him may be influencing refereeing and the course of the competition.
“Why should other teams even participate if the winner has already been decided?” the petition reads.
Several incidents in Argentina’s playoff matches have sparked discontent among some fans. In the round of 16, the team defeated Egypt, and in the quarterfinals, it beat Switzerland. After these matches, representatives of the opposing teams raised complaints about the referees’ performance and pointed to decisions that, in their opinion, could have influenced the final outcome.
The match against Egypt caused the greatest controversy. Hani Abu Rida, president of the Egyptian Football Association, demanded an investigation into the controversial incidents, including a disallowed goal by the Egyptian national team and a possible foul leading up to one of Argentina’s goals.
FIFA, however, rejected the Egyptian side’s claims. Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the organization’s Referees Committee, stated that the accusations against the referees following the round of 16 match were unfounded.
The online petition has no legal standing and cannot affect Argentina’s participation in the World Cup. Decisions regarding possible sanctions or a team’s eligibility for the tournament fall exclusively within FIFA’s jurisdiction.
In the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup, Argentina is set to face England, which previously eliminated Norway. The match will take place on July 15, kicking off at 10:00 p.m. Moscow time.
