Argentine fans petition to replay World Cup final over refereeing complaints

A campaign has emerged in Argentina calling for the 2026 World Cup final to be replayed, following the national team's defeat to Spain. The petition, initiated by fan Gisela Sánchez on Change.org, has already gathered over 68,000 signatures.

Supporters are directing their grievances at the Slovenian referee, Slavko Vincic, urging FIFA to review his decisions during the final match played in New Jersey. The game concluded with a 1-0 victory for Spain in extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal.

"This is not just a matter of justice for Argentina, but for the future of world football," Sánchez stated. "We need to guarantee the integrity of referees at all levels of the sport. If we allow corruption to go unnoticed on this global stage, we are setting a poor example for future generations of athletes and fans."

This is not the first time fans have sought to overturn a match result through online petitions. A similar digital campaign in France to replay their World Cup semifinal against Spain, which also ended in defeat, collected over 82,000 signatures but had no impact. These initiatives, while demonstrating fan passion, lack any official standing to compel FIFA to alter results or replay matches.