An online petition calling for Argentina’s national football team to be permanently banned from the FIFA World Cup has attracted more than 23.3 million signatures, according to reports by RMC and Eurosport.
The petition, titled “Argentina Out,” has reportedly gained support from people in more than 170 countries, making it one of the most widely shared football-related petitions in recent years.
Those behind the campaign allege that FIFA and match officials favoured Argentina and captain Lionel Messi during key moments of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, claiming controversial decisions influenced the team’s progress in the tournament.
The petition argues that such alleged preferential treatment undermined the integrity of the competition.
“Why should the rest of the teams play in the tournament if the winner is known in advance? Exclude Argentina from the World Cup and give everyone a fair chance,” the petition stated.
Despite the campaign attracting millions of signatures, FIFA has not responded publicly to the petition, and it has had no impact on Argentina’s standing in international football.
Argentina also faced criticism during the tournament over what some fans described as favourable refereeing decisions, particularly following their comeback victory over Egypt.
After Spain knocked the defending champions out of the tournament with Ferran Torres’ extra-time winner, the organisers of the petition thanked the eventual world champions.
“FIFA ignored us, but Spain kept its promise… thank you Spain,” they wrote.
Although the petition generated widespread discussion on social media, it carries no legal or regulatory authority, meaning it will not affect Argentina’s participation in future FIFA competitions unless football’s governing bodies take formal disciplinary action, which they have not indicated they intend to do.
