23 Million Sign Petition Demanding Argentina’s Permanent FIFA World Cup Ban Over Favoritism Claims

An online petition demanding the permanent expulsion of Argentina’s national team from the FIFA World Cup has generated widespread reaction, attracting more than 23 million signatures worldwide and becoming one of the most circulated petitions in recent history.

According to reports published by international media outlets including RMC and Eurosport, the petition, titled “Argentina Out,” had gathered 23,316,108 signatures from approximately 170 countries, far surpassing the organisers’ initial target of five million signatures.

The petition was launched during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and accused FIFA and match referees of showing favoritism toward Argentina and their captain, Lionel Messi. Its text stated: “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.”

Argentina, however, did not win the tournament, as they were defeated 1-0 by Spain in the final.

Their campaign was marked by several refereeing controversies, particularly during the round-of-16 clash against Egypt, which drew criticism from some fans and commentators.

Reports indicated that the number of signatories brought the petition close to entering the Guinness World Records for the most signed petition in history. It reportedly fell fewer than one million signatures short of the record.

The current record is held by the “Jubilee 2000” campaign, launched in 1997 to advocate for the cancellation of debts owed by poor countries. According to Guinness World Records, the campaign collected more than 24 million signatures.

Despite its widespread circulation, the petition had no effect on FIFA’s decisions, and the football governing body did not issue any official response to its demands.

Following Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the final, the organisers reportedly concluded their campaign message with the phrase: “FIFA ignored us, but Spain kept its promise… thank you Spain.”

Although the petition generated significant online attention, it remains an internet campaign with no legal or sporting effect on Argentina’s participation in future international tournaments.