Over 2.5 million people have signed an unofficial petition demanding that Argentina be excluded from the 2026 World Cup, reports Astana TV citing Liter.kz, as featured on infohub.kz.
A dedicated website, Argentina Out, was created for the campaign, which is not affiliated with FIFA or national football federations. As of publication, the petition had garnered more than 2.5 million signatures.
The petition's authors allege that FIFA and referees show favoritism toward Argentina captain Lionel Messi, giving his team an advantage in key matches. "It's clear that FIFA and referees are biased toward Lionel Messi and Argentina. Why should the rest even bother participating if the winner is already predetermined? Exclude Argentina from the World Cup and give everyone else a fair chance," the petition reads.
The campaign was sparked by controversies over officiating in playoff matches. After losses to Argentina, Egypt and Switzerland expressed dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions. Specifically, Egyptian Football Association President Hani Abou Rida demanded an investigation into incidents from the round of 16 match. Egypt cited a disallowed goal and what they believed was a missed penalty as contentious moments.
The petition is unofficial and carries no direct legal weight for FIFA. However, the large number of signatures indicates that the issue of refereeing and potential bias toward certain teams has resonated widely among fans.