FIFA has confirmed that Argentina will face an investigation into the “disgusting” scenes at the end of the World Cup final. 

The team has gone viral for all the wrong reasons at this year’s tournament; and now, a petition to kick them out of the World Cup has amassed more than 23 million signatures.

What a fun World Cup this has been… If only FIFA and Argentina hadn’t ruined the whole thing.

It’s a sentiment shared by many online, who believe that this year’s tournament has brought the culture of football further into disrepute – whether it’s the exorbitant ticket prices, the controversial “hydration breaks”, the Trump-Infantino relationship leading to the infamous red card scandal, some dubious refereeing and allegations of favouritism… The list goes on, and goes on up until the final, in which Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time.

Indeed, FIFA has confirmed that Argentina will face an investigation regarding altercations with Spain players, with players like Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes and Thiago Almada appearing to be involved, as well as assistant coach Roberto Ayala.

Molina appeared to throw a punch at Spain’s captain Rodri as he ran past him, while Paredes clashed with Spain’s Eric Garcia.

Faced with these pathetic scenes, FIFA’s disciplinary committee has appointed an ethics prosecutor to assess what happened.

The actions of the Argentinian team could be judged as “violating the basic rules of decent conduct” and “behaving in a way that brings the sport of football and/or Fifa into disrepute”.

This has been a long time coming, as supporting Argentina during the World Cup became increasingly problematic as the competition progressed. The team and their fans went viral for all the wrong reasons – be it racist chants, some questionable calls during the quarter-final game against Egypt which seemed to suggest favouritism, a banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”) during their post-semifinal celebration against England – to name but a few.

The conspiracy theory that the World Cup was rigged in Argentina’s favour gained much traction online, with many expressing their “disgust” and anger through AI-generated videos and photos.

The aforementioned disciplinary and ethics prosecutor has the power to enforce a ban globally, and a petition titled “Argentina Out” has called for the country to be kicked out of the tournament permanently. 

The petition description accuses FIFA and the referees of being “biased toward Lionel Messi and Argentina”, adding: “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.”

Now closed, the appeal has more than 23 million signatures – 23,316,108 to be precise.

Most impressive of all is how this has nearly broken a world record, as the Guinness World Record for the most signatories stands at 24,319,181.

That record still belongs to the 1997 Jubilee 2000 movement, which called for the cancellation of unpayable debts owed by the world’s poorest countries by the end of the year 2000.

“Over 23 million people from 170 countries signed this petition in under a week,” states the viral Argentina Out petition. “FIFA ignored us but Spain delivered. Thank you Spain.” (Euronews)

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More than a dozen people have been ‘detained’ by police in Buenos Aires after rioting broke out following Argentina’s World Cup final loss. 

Thousands gathered in the streets of the Argentinian capital to watch the final, hoping to see Lionel Messi and co retain the World Cup trophy. However, they were left bitterly disappointed. 

Enzo Fernandez was sent off earlier in the game, giving Spain the advantage. Ferran Torres took the initiative with a goal in extra time to hand Spain a 1-0 win.

The New Jersey spectacle became a debacle at full-time, with clashes breaking out between the players. Argentina’s Leandro Parades was sent off after the final whistle for shoving and lashing out at Eric Garcia of Spain.

It had largely been a peaceful affair in Buenos Aires, a city of 3 million people, until riots broke out between police and fans at around 11:45pm, reports Argentine newspaper Infobae .

Clashes were seen around the Obelisk, a national monument where important occasions play out, when a group of supporters attempted to breach fencing designed to protect it.

Chaos then reigned for 20 minutes as a ‘large group’ of fans then started hurling glass bottles and other projectiles at the police. Cops responded with tear gas and a water cannon to disperse irate crowds nearby, the outlet added.

‘At least’ 15 people have been detained by police, Infobae said, with several hurt in the riot. The condition of the injured remains unknown.

Images of the city published worldwide show debris littering the capital’s streets, with one photograph appearing to show a police officer kicking a supporter on the ground.

Despite the loss, Argentinians will enjoy a national holiday. President Javier Milei announced the move hours after Rodri lifted the World Cup trophy, but said the date of the celebration will be decided by the players and coaches.

An English translation of Milei’s post in X in Spanish said: “WORLD CELEBRATION.

“Given the concern about the celebrations for the achievement reached by the Argentine National Team, I inform the population that, depending on what the players and the technical staff decide regarding the day to celebrate, it will be declared a national holiday.”

Argentinians enjoyed a bank holiday after winning the 2022 World Cup.

It occurred on the Tuesday after the final, when players returned to Buenos Aires for a parade. Those celebrations centred around the Obelisk. 

Watch : https://www.thenationalnews.com/video/XGVggsA9/angry-argentina-fans-clash-with-police-in-buenos-aires/ (Mirror/ National)

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“FIFA favours Argentina”, “World Cup is rigged”, “FIFA wants Lionel Messi to go far” have been common phrases heard from the mouths of different people since the 2026 World Cup started. 

It all began with Lionel Messi’s studs-up challenge against an Algerian player, while the VAR decisions in games involving Egypt and Switzerland further fuelled the ‘fixing’ accusations on FIFA, with many suggesting that Argentina are overwhelmingly being protected by the sport’s governing body.

Breaking his silence on the accusations, Messi has hit back at critics, asserting that reaching a second consecutive World Cup final proves his side is among the best in the world and that their success is “not by chance.” 

Argentina looked on the cusp of elimination from the World Cup as they came up against England in the semi-final on Wednesday. But, as has been the case in multiple Argentina matches this World Cup, the defending champions produced another heroic comeback. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, with the help of two Messi assists, struck the late goals in a dramatic turnaround in Atlanta after Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal to take Argentina closer to retaining their world crown.

Argentina’s journey to defend their title has been filled with controversies as referees made several debatable calls that seemed to favour them. But Messi completely dismissed the claims that the tournament was biased in their favour.

“It hurts whoever it hurts… We’ve been the best for the last four years, whether people like it or not, no matter what they say. Once again, we’re among the two best in the world, and that shows that everything we’ve done isn’t by chance and nobody gave us anything. Reaching two consecutive World Cup finals is something few achieve, and this group did it,” the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner stated, taking a clear jab at the critics.

“If we had lost to England, people would have come out and said some nonsense, and we didn’t give them the chance. We knew that we were better than them in terms of football , but a lot is at stake in a match of this magnitude, where historic events happen in these games,” he added.

Messi also dedicated the win to the legendary Diego Maradona, who had famously headlined the clash between Argentina and the Three Lions in the World Cup quarter-final 40 years ago.

“Without a doubt, Diego is enjoying this immensely from up there because today was a very special day for him; to be able to give him this joy and for him to experience it however he wants from up there. Let him enjoy it because it’s a gift for him too,” he concluded. (NDTV Sports / IANS)

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After Argentina overhauled a 1-0 deficit against England into a statement 2-1 victory in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals, some of their players made a statement of another kind. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi brought a banner onto the pitch of the Mercedes Benz Arena that said ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ (The Falkland Islands are Argentine). 

The banner was a reference to the Falkland Islands (as known in England while in Argentina the island is called Islas Malvinas) which had led to a 74-day conflict between the two countries 44 years ago. The conflict had led to over 900 people — 649 Argentinians and 255 Britons — losing their lives. 

England reasserted control of the Falklands after that 1982 war with Argentina’s military government. Argentina still considers the British protectorate essential to their national identity.

The banner could land the Argentine football team in trouble with FIFA’s rules on political messaging. Argentina will take on Spain in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday hoping to retain their title won in Qatar 2022.

 Lionel Messi and Co had fallen behind to England in the 55th minute thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon. However, Enzo Fernandez scored a long-range strike to level the scores in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez headed the ball into the net in the second minute of extra time to give Argentina the victory. 

A report in the Guardian noted that after Argentina beat Switzerland in the quarter-final to set up a meeting with England, some players had been heard chanting: “For the Malvinas, for Diego [Maradona] and for Leo [Messi]’s last one.”

While it was uncertain where the banner had come from, according to a report from The Associated Press, Argentina fans had been banned from carrying Falklands flags into the World Cup semi-final. 

Argentine Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva had said that fans would not be allowed to carry some of their flags and banners that incorporate images of the Falkland Islands into the game.

Monteoliva had cited FIFA’s code of conduct, which bans politically divisive content. Her comments had led to a social media backlash in Buenos Aires.

FIFA’s code of conduct also says fans cannot “curse or chant in a political, offensive and/or discriminatory manner.”

But Britain’s top representative in Atlanta had said she expects Argentines to continue with their chants that reference the Malvinas along with football greats Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. Consul General Rachel Galloway told Atlanta First News that although fans might sing about those issues, “we find a way to work together.” (Indian Express/ AP)

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Argentina are back in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals. Lionel Messi’s side is two games away from another title. But as their run gathers momentum, so do the familiar accusations. 

Every major Argentina victory seems to trigger another round of debate over refereeing decisions. Social media has once again been flooded with claims that officials have favoured the South Americans. Whether those allegations have any substance is a separate discussion. But if Argentina reach the World Cup final, there will not be an English referee in charge. Here is why. 

Micheal Oliver holds the rare distinction of being the English referee to officiate the most World Cup games in a single edition. On merit alone, Oliver has strengthened his credentials for the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19. But merit is just one part of FIFA’s selection process.

Should Argentina make the final, Oliver and fellow English referee Anthony Taylor would automatically be ruled out.

Now if England reaches the final, it is quite straightforward that they won’t be eligible.

But even in the case of Argentina beating England in the semi-final and making the final, the English referees will be barred from officiating, because of the political sensitivities surrounding the Falklands dispute.

The legacy of the 1982 Falklands War continues to shape FIFA’s referee appointments more than four decades later.

The Falklands War lasted 74 days in 1982 before ending with Argentina’s surrender and Britain retaining control of the islands. The conflict left 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British servicemen and three Falkland Islanders dead. More than four decades later, the issue remains politically sensitive. Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the islands, a position reiterated by President Javier Milei.

That is why FIFA takes no chances. The question isn’t whether a referee would favour one side. It’s whether the appointment could invite questions over neutrality.

The principle extends beyond the final. With England and Argentina on the same side of the draw, English and Norwegian referees were not in contention for Argentina’s quarter-final against Switzerland either. The winner of that tie was destined to face England or Norway in the semi-finals, so FIFA removed any possibility of a perceived conflict before the last four had even begun.

For FIFA, the concern is not whether a referee would actually be biased. It is whether appointing one could create that perception.

Because England and Argentina sit on the same side of the draw, referees from England and Norway were not considered for Argentina’s quarter-final against Switzerland. The outcome of that match directly influenced England’s potential semi-final opponent, making neutrality a factor even before the last four.

The same principle applies across the competition.

American referees are generally not considered for Iran matches, and Iranian officials would likewise not oversee games involving the United States. FIFA routinely factors geopolitical tensions into its appointments alongside nationality.

Referees are also kept away from matches that could directly affect their own country’s route through the competition. That is why Oliver and Taylor were not assigned to other matches involving England’s group rivals earlier in the tournament.

The philosophy mirrors domestic football.

The same thinking applies in domestic football. Premier League referees are kept away from clubs they support or have strong regional ties to. That’s why Michael Oliver, who comes from England’s North East, is never appointed to Newcastle United or Sunderland matches.

The World Cup simply applies those principles on a global scale.

Appointments are made on a match-by-match basis by FIFA’s refereeing department under the leadership of chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina. Performances remain the biggest factor. But politics, geography and competitive neutrality all form part of the equation.

Anthony Taylor found himself in exactly this position four years ago. He had enjoyed an outstanding tournament in Qatar and was firmly in the conversation to referee the final. But the moment Argentina booked their place against France, his chances disappeared.

The same could happen again. If Argentina reach this year’s final, neither Taylor nor Michael Oliver will be eligible for the biggest game of the tournament. (NDTV Sports)

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched a probe into the financial operations of Argentine Football Association (AFA) in the United States, according to a report by Argentine newspaper La Nacion. 

The report claimed that the football association, headed by president Claudio Tapia, is under investigation for allegations of possible money laundering. The investigating agency is reportedly trying to understand how AFA channeled money through the USA financial system and whether the entire process could have resulted in any crimes. 

The news broke amid ongoing controversy surrounding Argentina’s win over Egypt in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 matches where a number of referee decisions were heavily criticised.

According to the report, a Florida-based company TourProdEnter LLC takes care of AFA’s financial obligations abroad and they are currently under investigation. 

“According to documentation obtained and analyzed by LA NACION during the last few months and revealed at the end of 2025 and the beginning of this year, Gillette and Faroni —former Buenos Aires legislator of the Renewal Front— moved at least hundreds of millions of dollars through accounts opened in five US financial entities: Citibank, Synovus, Bank of America, JP Morgan and PNC Bank,” the report claimed.

“Through these accounts, TourProdEnter LLC managed at least US$260 million in revenue from the AFA, although—according to bank records analyzed by LA NACION —only a portion of these funds can be directly linked to identifiable operating expenses of the organization headed by Tapia. 

Another US$57 million was distributed among various companies and beneficiaries whose economic justification is not apparent from the documentation reviewed by this newspaper. Among these transfers are wire transfers of tens of millions of dollars to companies that, according to documentation analyzed by LA NACION , do not provide any identifiable services and were controlled by individuals who, according to official records consulted by this newspaper, received social welfare benefits and resided in Bariloche or Buenos Aires,” the report added.

Tapia has already found himself in the news due to corruption investigations and an ongoing power struggle with Argentine President Javier Milei over the ownership structure of the football clubs. He was charged with tax evasion in March. (NDTV Sports)

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The wife and children of Argentine soccer player Lucas Trejo have been found dead amid the devastating double earthquakes in Venezuela.

The country was hit by 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes on Wednesday, with a reported death toll of at least 1,430 people.

And according to family friend Edson Tortolero, Trejo’s wife, Yanina Maranella, and children, Aarón and Ainhoa, are among those who tragically died in the disaster.

Tortolero, a soccer player himself, wrote on Instagram (originally in Spanish): “We inform all the people of Venezuela and Argentina that the bodies of Lucas Trejo’s family members have been found lifeless.

“We thank everyone for the support and ask for the most sincere respect for his family at this time. WE PRAY FOR ETERNAL LIFE FOR THEM.”

Trejo’s club, Venezuelan side Club Sport Marítimo de La Guaira, also confirmed the deaths in a statement and said that there had been a 74-hour search for his wife and children.

“Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira deeply mourns the loss suffered by Lucas Trejo’s family. We ask for respect for his relatives and teammates,” a statement read. “After a 74-hour search, they were found deceased.”

Trejo, 38, joined Maritimo earlier this year and has spent much of his playing career in Venezuela.

His father and brother, according to reports in Argentina, had travelled to Venezuela to help him in the agonizing search for Yanina, Aarón and Ainhoa. The defender posted a sweet picture of his family to his Instagram story on Saturday, and wished her a happy birthday with a post in April.

“Happy birthday my love!!!,” he wrote. “May God richly bless your life and continue to fulfill the desires of your heart.

“It is a blessing for us as a family to have you and to move forward in the purpose we have together! With you everything is easier and more beautiful always.”

Tragically, Maritimo has been rocked by other losses as well.

The club mourned the passing of 14-year-old player Victor Palacios, who was a homegrown player for them.

Maritimo also announced the passing of club staffer Adriana Aranguren.

At least 68,900 people have been reported missing as a result of the earthquakes as search operations continue. (New York Post)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his historic visit to Argentina, discussed with South American President Javier Milei avenues of cooperation in newer areas such as drone technology, according to details provided by External Affairs Secretary (East), P Kumaran.

Addressing a press briefing after the bilateral meeting between the two leaders, Kumaran said that the conversation between PM Modi and Milei “significantly dealt with the use of drones and multiple purposes for which they can be put into.”

“There was discussion about using it to tackle IUU fishing- illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, especially encroaching fishermen into exclusive economic zones of Argentina. There was also talk about using drones for cattle management, increasing agricultural productivity for border surveillance and the Argentinian side also talked about how drones could help in the surveillance of high tension power transmission lines using drones instead of the traditional reliance on helicopters which is much more expensive,” he said.

In another novel area of cooperation, Kumaran said that PM Modi invited Argentina to join the International Big Cat Alliance.

“The two leaders discussed cooperation under an initiative that India drives called the International Big Cat Alliance, which protects and promotes cooperation between the member states of the IBCA in protecting some six identified big cats- lions, tigers, and jaguars and so on, six of them. The Prime Minister welcomed Argentina to join the International Big Cat Alliance and to work with us on sharing experiences and capacity building in terms of conservation of the big cats.”

As per the Ministry of External Affairs, the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was launched by PM Modi in 2023. It primarily aims for conservation of seven big cats namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma, with objectives like facilitation of collaboration and synergy amongst the concerned stakeholders, consolidation of successful conservation practices and expertise to achieve conservation of big cats around the globe and underscores India’s leadership and commitment to global wildlife conservation.

In a recap of the visit of PM Modi, the MEA Secretary said, “The Prime Minister last visited Argentina in 2018 for the G20 Summit. However, this is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 57 years, making it a historical visit.”

He noted that PM had begun his engagements by laying a wreath at the bust of General San Martin, the revered Argentinian freedom fighter. “The tribute acknowledged his enduring legacy and pivotal role in Argentina’s independence movement. Following the tribute, the Prime Minister was received at Casa Rosada by President Javier Milei, where he was accorded a ceremonial welcome. Subsequently, the two leaders had a brief tet-a-tet, followed by delegation-level talks, during which they reviewed the entire range of bilateral relations.”

The MEA Secretary said that PM Modi thanked President Milei for extending warm hospitality to him and his delegation, and also appreciated the gracious welcome.

Prime Minister Modi’s engagements in Buenos Aires not only reflected India’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Argentina but also showcased the enduring spirit of the Indian diaspora. Their heartfelt reception, marked by cultural performances and chants, underscored the deep bonds that connect Indian communities across the world with their roots. (ANI)

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Sri Lanka remains very vulnerable amid a worsening in global financial conditions, a think-tank study found on Wednesday.

According to Reuters, economist Liliana Rojas-Suarez wrote in the report that emerging markets were now more vulnerable than in 2019 on an overall basis. 

“The scars of the 2020-2022 shocks that started with the COVID pandemic and the subsequent multiple shocks, such as Russia’s war on Ukraine and the U.S. Fed’s increases in interest rates, are deep and have weakened emerging markets’ economic and financial conditions,” Rojas-Suarez wrote.

A severe shortage of dollars tipped Sri Lanka into its worst financial crisis since independence from Britain in 1948 last year, triggering its first foreign debt default in May 2022.

“In 2019, only Tunisia, Pakistan, Argentina, and Sri Lanka had ratios of external financing needs above 100%. Now, 12 of the 37 countries we examined, or about one-third, are in that position,” Rojas-Suarez said, adding these countries have very large and unsustainable large public debt ratios.

The study calculated external financing needs by measuring short-term external debt plus current account deficits as a proportion of international reserves.

The resilience indicator, published by the Washington-based Center for Global Development, assesses which countries would be most economically and financially affected if an external shock were to materialise. It is based on data published by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and governments.

According to the report, China has suffered a sharp deterioration in financial resilience since pre-COVID times.

China was found to be the “most weakened country” across a sample of 37 countries, having ranked among the top 10 most resilient emerging economies in 2019 and dropping to 18th place in 2023.

Argentina is in recession for the sixth time in a decade, with triple-digit inflation and foreign net reserves in the red.

The study also showed that debt sustainability has declined over the last four years across emerging market economies.

Bolivia, Egypt, Turkey and El Salvador are also on the list of vulnerable countries, while the study shows that Indonesia, Peru and Bulgaria are the most resilient countries in the group. (NewsWire / Reuters)

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