Over 23 Million Football Fans Sign Petition Calling For Argentina To Be Banned From World Cup

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More than 23 million football supporters across the globe have backed an unprecedented online campaign calling on FIFA to ban Argentina from future World Cup competitions following a series of high-profile altercations and on-pitch brawls during the 2026 tournament in North America

The viral petition, titled Argentina Out, attracted 23.3 million signatures from supporters across roughly 170 countries within a single week.

The petition closed after Spain secured a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in the final on 19 July. The organisers thanked the Spanish national team for delivering what they described as a sporting resolution after FIFA was accused of failing to address perceived refereeing bias in favour of Lionel Messi's side.

Tensions surrounding Lionel Scaloni's team simmered throughout the tournament before boiling over in the knockout stages

Following a fiery semi-final victory over England, public frustration erupted into chaotic post-match scenes at MetLife Stadium after the final whistle.

After the final, Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes received a post-match red card for grabbing Spain defender Eric Garcia and shoving Gavi to the turf. Meanwhile, assistant manager Roberto Ayala engaged in a physical altercation with Spanish players, including Dani Olmo and Eric Garcia, amid the celebrations.

In response to the backlash, around 80,000 Argentine supporters launched a counter-petition calling on FIFA to order a replay of the final, alleging that refereeing decisions had systematically favoured Spain

While FIFA has appointed an independent disciplinary prosecutor to investigate the post-match scuffle and potential player sanctions, the governing body has shown no indication that it is considering a replay or an international ban against Argentina.