Tens of thousands of Argentina supporters have signed a petition calling for the 2026 World Cup final to be replayed. They have accused referee Slavko Vincic of being “corrupt” after Spain defeated Lionel Messi and co 1-0 to lift the trophy for the second time in their history.
Argentina did not register a single shot on target throughout the 120 minutes and Enzo Fernandez was shown a red card in the 93rd minute. He received a second yellow card for a heavy foul and chaos ensued when the final whistle blew and Leandro Paredes found himself in the middle of violent scenes, as he clashed with Gavi and Eric Garcia.
Argentina did not accept defeat graciously and Nauel Molina also appeared to have sparked the confrontation by launching a punch at Rodri.
Certain supporters are equally aggrieved, judging by the more than 82,000 signatures on a petition demanding the final be replayed. The creator of the Change.org petition, Gisela Sanchez, argues that FIFA should void the result due to the performance of Slovenian referee Vincic.
“The recent final between Argentina and Spain was tarnished by the controversial and corrupt performance of the referee who, according to video evidence, was bought to influence the match’s outcome,” Sanchez writes.
“It is a monumental disappointment for the players, coaches, and, above all, for the fans who crave to see a game decided by talent and dedication on the pitch, and not by rigged refereeing decisions.
“If we allow corruption to go unnoticed on this global stage, we are setting a bad example for future generations of athletes and fans.
“Therefore, we ask Fifa to review these incidents with seriousness and transparency, and to consider replaying the final – this time without the influence of a corrupt referee.”
Change.org has been flooded with petitions of an entirely different nature — ones demanding that FIFA ban Argentina from future tournaments. One calling for the side to be excluded from all future World Cups amassed over 29 million signatures before it was closed.
Vincic blew his whistle 46 times for fouls, 25 of which were against Argentina players. Fernandez was dismissed after collecting two yellow cards in the second half — one for dissent after being denied a free-kick, and another for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi.
The match was played out in a fractured, stop-start manner owing to Argentina’s time-wasting tactics, yet Spain ultimately found a way through in extra time. FIFA are now investigating the conduct of Argentina’s players in the wake of the fixture, which drew widespread condemnation.
“It’s a disgrace,” Gary Neville said on ITV. “I love the competitiveness of the Argentines, fighting and scrapping for their lives, Messi has propped them up, but it’s been a disgrace the last few games.”