Long after Spain lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy in New Jersey, another battle has continued online. While Argentine supporters have demanded a replay of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, critics of Lionel Messi‘s side have launched an entirely different campaign, one calling for Argentina to be banned from future World Cups altogether.
The online petition, which accuses FIFA of favouring Argentina throughout the tournament, claims to have gathered more than 23 million signatures, making it one of the largest sports-related petitions ever circulated online. Despite its scale, however, the campaign carries no legal or sporting authority, and FIFA has given no indication that it will act on it.
What is the petition?
Hosted on Change.org, the campaign titled “Leave, Argentina” argues that Argentina received preferential treatment from match officials throughout the tournament.
It alleges that FIFA referees repeatedly favoured Lionel Messi and his teammates, asking: “Why should the rest of the world compete when the winner is already known?”
The petition calls for Argentina to be excluded from future FIFA World Cups “for life”. According to figures displayed on the platform, the campaign accumulated 23,316,108 signatures before it closed.
Its organisers ended the campaign with a message thanking newly crowned champions Spain: “FIFA ignored us, but Spain kept its promises.”
Why did the petition attract so much attention?
The campaign emerged against the backdrop of one of the tournament’s most controversial editions. Throughout Argentina’s run to the final, several refereeing decisions sparked fierce debate across football circles.
Critics pointed to incidents involving Lionel Messi’s challenge on Algeria defender Aissa Mandi, controversial moments during Argentina’s knockout matches, and officiating decisions in the final itself.
The controversy intensified after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the winner in the 106th minute.
Many Argentine supporters subsequently launched their own campaign demanding the final be replayed, arguing that Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic made several match-changing decisions.
Did it really become one of the world’s biggest petitions?
The figure displayed by the petition’s organisers, 23.3 million signatures, would place it among the largest online petitions ever created.
It also came close to the Jubilee 2000 debt-relief campaign, which Guinness World Records recognises as attracting more than 24 million signatures worldwide.
However, unlike the Jubilee campaign, the Argentina petition has not been independently verified, and there is no confirmation from Guinness World Records regarding its final count.
Can FIFA ban Argentina because of an online petition?
No. An online petition, regardless of how many signatures it attracts, has no regulatory authority over FIFA competitions.
Any suspension or expulsion of a national football association can only occur under FIFA’s statutes and disciplinary procedures, not through public campaigns. FIFA has made no comment on the petition and has not indicated that Argentina’s participation in future tournaments is under review.
The online divide after the final
The anti-Argentina campaign is only one side of the online fallout. At the same time, Argentine supporters have circulated their own petition demanding a replay of the World Cup final, arguing that officiating decisions cost Lionel Messi what could have been the final trophy of his international career.
Neither campaign has produced any formal response from FIFA. Instead, Spain remain officially recognised as FIFA World Cup 2026 champions, while the debate surrounding the tournament’s refereeing decisions continues largely on social media rather than inside football’s governing institutions.
