Argentine Football Association hit by cyberattack; hackers send threatening messages

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) is reportedly the target of a cyberattack, allegedly carried out by hackers from Egypt. International media reports suggest the attackers gained access to AFA systems, obtaining sensitive data such as email addresses, IP addresses, and passwords.

This incident follows Argentina's 3-2 victory over Egypt in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16. After the match, the Egyptian Football Federation disputed referee Francois Letexier's decisions and requested FIFA to prevent the French official from overseeing further matches in the tournament.

Journalists accredited to the AFA reportedly received an email, seemingly sent from an official AFA account, referencing the controversial refereeing. The message stated, "The theft will not go unnoticed. If there is no justice on the field, do not expect peace on social media!"

The AFA has confirmed that multiple emails were sent from one of its official accounts but stressed that these messages were neither drafted nor authorized by the federation's representatives. The AFA is investigating how unauthorized individuals gained access to its systems and has advised journalists to disregard any suspicious messages received during this period.