A petition demanding the 2026 World Cup final be replayed has gathered tens of thousands of signatures after bitter Argentina fans questioned the performance of referee Slavko Vincic following their defeat to Spain.
Lionel Messi's side surrendered their world title after Ferran Torres' extra-time winner sealed a 1-0 victory for Spain at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday. The defeat has sparked a furious backlash among sections of Argentina's supporters, with one online petition calling on FIFA to overturn the result and stage the final again.
Petition details
The Change.org petition, started by Argentine fan Gisela Sanchez, makes spurious claims of irregularities with no evidence and demands football's governing body void the result. The petition had attracted more than 82,000 signatures by the end of Thursday and was continuing to gain support, although it has no legal standing and FIFA will not consider the request.
The petition states "the recent final between Argentina and Spain was tarnished", adding: "It is a monumental disappointment for the players, coaches, and, above all, for the fans."
Match controversy
Despite the claims, Argentina struggled throughout the final and failed to register a single shot on target during the entire 120 minutes. Enzo Fernandez was also sent off in the 93rd minute after receiving a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, having earlier been booked for dissent. Vincic awarded 46 fouls during the contest, with 25 going against Argentina.
The controversy continued after the final whistle when ugly scenes broke out as Spain celebrated their victory. Nahuel Molina appeared to strike Rodri in the chest during the celebrations, while Leandro Paredes clashed with Gavi and Eric Garcia. FIFA has since confirmed it is investigating the conduct of Argentina's players following the chaotic scenes at the end of the match.
No chance of success
However, the petition has no chance of changing the outcome. FIFA does not overturn match results because of online campaigns, regardless of how many signatures they receive. It is also not the first petition of its kind during the tournament. France supporters launched a similar campaign after their semi-final defeat to Spain, disputing the penalty awarded following a foul on Lamine Yamal. That petition also surpassed 80,000 signatures but had no impact on FIFA's decision-making.
Meanwhile, a separate counter-petition calling for Argentina to be banned from future World Cups reportedly attracted more than 29 million signatures before it was closed, highlighting the scale of the online reaction to a dramatic and controversial conclusion to the tournament.
