A fan-led online petition titled "Argentina Out" has surged past 14 million signatures, demanding Argentina's disqualification from the 2026 World Cup over allegations of systemic FIFA bias.
The uproar began after a controversial 3-2 Round of 16 victory against Egypt, where a late VAR decision disallowed an Egyptian goal and allowed Argentina's winner to stand. Backlash intensified following a 2-1 semifinal win over England, with fans calling out officiating inconsistencies. Accusations deepened when Lisandro MartÃnez and Giovani Lo Celso celebrated with a political banner reading "The Falklands are Argentinian," sparking English outrage.
FIFA has dismissed the bias claims, backing its officials and VAR technology. Manager Lionel Scaloni also strongly rejected the narrative, emphasizing that multi-camera VAR ensures fairness. Meanwhile, Argentine fans have launched a counter-petition defending their team.