Amid widespread controversy surrounding Argentina’s national football team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, an online petition titled “Expel Argentina from the World Cup” has gathered more than 23 million signatures. At the same time, FIFA announced that it has launched disciplinary proceedings into the clashes that occurred after the final match between Argentina and Spain.
The petition collected more than 23,316,000 signatures from 170 countries in less than a week, making it one of the most widely supported online campaigns in the world. The campaign came within approximately one million signatures of breaking the record listed in the Guinness World Records.
FIFA announced that its Disciplinary Committee would investigate the incidents that took place following the World Cup final. The match ended with Spain defeating Argentina 1–0 in extra time, securing the 2026 FIFA World Cup title for the Spanish national team.
According to reports, Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes, Thiago Almada, and Argentina national team coach Roberto Ayala are among those whose names have been linked to the incidents. FIFA has also appointed an ethics investigator to examine the events, stating that the conduct involved may have violated regulations related to maintaining proper behavior and protecting the integrity of football.
The controversies surrounding Argentina’s national team during the tournament were not limited to the final match. Organizers of the petition accused FIFA and match officials of favoring Argentina and Lionel Messi, calling for the team to be permanently banned from World Cup competitions. FIFA has not issued an official response to the request.
According to Euronews, other controversies involving the team during the tournament included alleged racist chants by some supporters, strong protests over refereeing decisions during the match against Egypt, and the display of a banner stating “The Malvinas Islands belong to Argentina” after the team’s victory over England in the semi-final. These incidents sparked widespread reactions on social media.
The petition has now been closed; however, the record for the most signatures collected by an online campaign remains held by the “Jubilee 2000” campaign, which gathered more than 24.3 million signatures in 1997 calling for the cancellation of debts owed by poorer countries.
In their final statement, the organizers of the campaign said: “More than 23 million people from 170 countries signed this petition. FIFA did not respond to this request, but the outcome of the final match was decided on the pitch.”
Writer:Salima Aryaei
