An online petition demanding Argentina’s expulsion from the 2026 World Cup has passed 10 million signatures, becoming the most visible expression of a global backlash against the defending champions. Hosted on the independent site argentinaout.com, the campaign accuses FIFA and match officials of systematically favouring Lionel Messi’s team and calls for the Albiceleste to be removed to “give everyone else a fair chance.” The petition carries no legal or sporting authority — only FIFA can sanction a participating nation — but its scale has turned a digital protest into a talking point ahead of the semi-finals.

The immediate trigger was Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the round of 16. Trailing 2-0 with 13 minutes remaining, Argentina scored three times, including a late winner that stood despite Egyptian claims of a foul on Mohamed Salah in the build-up. Earlier, a goal by Egypt had been disallowed after a VAR review for an infringement. Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan said the match had “clearly been rigged” and suggested FIFA wanted to keep Messi in the tournament. The Egyptian Football Association issued a statement saying key incidents “raised serious concerns” about consistency and fairness.

Viewed from Cairo, the sense of grievance is acute, but it echoes a wider current of resentment, particularly in Latin America. In Mexico, co-hosts of the tournament, many fans are actively rooting against Argentina, citing a history of perceived arrogance and racist discourse. A recent on-air rant by an Argentine journalist declaring “I detest Mexicans” and a 2021 remark by a former Argentine president that Mexicans “came from the Indians” while Argentines “came from the ships” have been widely recirculated. Analysts in Mexico City note that the World Cup has become a proxy for deeper cultural and class tensions, with Argentina’s European self-image clashing with regional solidarity.

FIFA’s refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina rejected the favouritism allegations as “unfounded,” insisting that VAR protocols were correctly applied and that “nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone.” Argentina’s manager Lionel Scaloni dismissed the claims as nothing new, pointing to similar accusations during the 1986 triumph and arguing that modern technology makes bias “next to impossible.” In Nigeria, former international John Mikel Obi offered a different reading, attributing the conspiracy theories to supporters of Cristiano Ronaldo. “This is all the Ronaldo fans coming up with all this crap,” he said on a podcast, noting that Argentina earned an easier knockout path by winning their group.

Argentina now prepare to face England in the semi-finals in Atlanta, the same venue where they eliminated Egypt. The winner will meet Spain in the final. While the petition has no power to alter the tournament, it ensures that every refereeing decision in the match will be scrutinised through the lens of a controversy that shows no sign of fading.