Argentina's Lionel Messi reacts after losing the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina.
Petition calling FIFA to kick Argentina out of World Cup reaches over 23 million signatures
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An online petition calling for Argentina to be permanently banned from future FIFA World Cups has garnered over 23 million signatures, making it one of the most rapidly signed campaigns in recent history.
Launched on argentinaout.com amid the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the petition accused FIFA and match officials of systematic bias favoring Lionel Messi's Argentina team.
"It is obvious that FIFA and the referees are biased toward Lionel Messi and Argentina," the petition stated. "Why should the rest of the world compete when the winner has already been decided? Kick Argentina out of the World Cup and give everyone else a fair chance."
The campaign, which claimed support from fans across 170 countries, gained massive traction on social media following several disputed decisions during Argentina's matches.
The petition closed shortly after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 World Cup final, with a goal from Ferran Torres in extra time.
Its homepage now reads: "Petition Closed. Over 23 Million people from 170 countries signed this petition in under a week. FIFA ignored us but Spain delivered. Thank you Spain."
Critics and observers have questioned the petition's legitimacy. Reports indicate the site's signature counter was not based on verified individual signatures and may have incremented automatically, with the platform itself noting it "is not a verified-signature total."
Despite this, the viral numbers nearly approached the Guinness World Record for the most petition signatories (24,319,181, held by the Jubilee 2000 debt relief campaign).
FIFA has consistently denied any favoritism toward Argentina.
The organization emphasized that all matches were officiated according to standard protocols and that referee decisions are subject to review but found no evidence of systemic bias.
The backlash reflects deep frustrations among rival fans, particularly after Argentina's successful title defense attempts and Messi's enduring presence.
