Argentina's defeat to Spain by a single unanswered goal in the 2026 World Cup final has sparked a wave of controversy on the Argentine street, with some fans going as far as to demand a replay.
According to the Spanish newspaper "El Mundo", Argentine fans have launched a campaign across digital platforms demanding a rematch. It has gathered more than 61,500 signatures so far.
Behind the initiative is Argentine fan Gisela Sanchez, who launched a petition on "Change.org" questioning the performance of Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic. She called on FIFA to review the refereeing decisions taken during the match, played last Sunday in New York.
Those decisions, the petition's author claims, directly affected the course of the match. She alleges infringements that warrant review, yet presents no documented evidence to support the accusation.
Popular momentum counts for little here. The campaign has no legal basis obliging FIFA to change the result, as no official match can be replayed except in exceptional circumstances laid down by the sporting regulations, or by a decision from the competent bodies within FIFA.
This is not the first such protest of the 2026 World Cup. A French campaign gathered more than 82,000 signatures demanding a replay of the semi-final against Spain, over a controversial passage of play preceding the penalty conceded by Lamine Yamal.
Spain were crowned World Cup champions after beating Argentina through a single goal from Ferran Torres in extra time.
Bitter as the defeat was, tens of thousands of Argentine fans took to the streets after the final whistle. They came out to thank the national team for reaching the final and coming so close to a second successive title.