Over 10 million sign petition to kick Argentina out of FIFA World Cup amid referee bias claims
Over 10 million people have signed a petition calling for Argentina's expulsion from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing alleged referee bias. The controversy follows a contentious match against Egypt, though team management has dismissed the claims as unfounded.
Why it matters
The massive scale of the petition underscores the intense global scrutiny of officiating in high-stakes international sports.
Over ten million people have signed an online petition at argentinaout.org demanding Argentina be expelled from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, accusing FIFA and match officials of favouring Lionel Messi and the defending champions. The petition, hosted on argentinaout.com, gained massive attention after Argentina's dramatic comeback win over Egypt in the Round of 16.The petition claims Argentina have received favourable decisions throughout the tournament. "Argentina Out is a fan-led campaign calling for Argentina to be removed from the 2026 World Cup," it read. "Sign the Kick Out Argentina petition to demand consistent rules, transparent officiating, and fair competition for every nation. Add your voice and help make the call to kick out Argentina impossible to ignore."The controversy intensified after Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit to beat Egypt, scoring three goals in the final 13 minutes despite Messi missing an earlier penalty.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in