Thousands of football fans have launched online petitions following the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, with one demanding a replay of the match and another calling for Argentina to be banned from future World Cups. The campaigns have gained widespread attention online, but will FIFA actually take any action?
Spain defeated Argentina to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after which FIFA reportedly opened an investigation into allegations of unsportsmanlike behaviour involving members of the Argentine team.
Fans demand World Cup final replay
Following the final, an online petition on Change.org began circulating, calling on FIFA to replay the championship match.
The petition claims Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić delivered a biased performance that influenced the outcome of the final.
According to the petition’s creator, Gisela Sanchez, the match was allegedly affected by controversial officiating.
“The recent final between Argentina and Spain was tarnished by the controversial and corrupt performance of the referee who, according to video evidence, was bought to influence the match’s outcome.”
The petition urges FIFA to investigate the allegations “with seriousness and transparency” and consider replaying the World Cup final.
As of publication, the petition had collected more than 82,000 signatures.
Can FIFA order a World Cup final replay?
Under FIFA regulations, matches are generally not replayed because of controversial refereeing decisions.
A replay would only be considered under extremely rare and exceptional circumstances, such as a major breach of the Laws of the Game or administrative errors—not simply because fans disagree with officiating decisions.
As a result, experts believe the chances of FIFA ordering a replay remain extremely low.
Did Lamine Yamal Snub Donald Trump? Viral World Cup Clip Sparks Debate
Separate petition seeks Argentina’s ban
Another online campaign has attracted even greater attention by calling for Argentina to be excluded from future FIFA World Cups.
According to the report, the petition has gathered more than 23 million signatures, making it one of the largest online petitions ever recorded.
If independently verified, it would rank among the biggest petitions in history.
Guinness World Record comparison
The report notes that the largest petition ever organised remains the Jubilee 2000 international campaign, which collected more than 24.3 million handwritten signatures across 166 countries in support of cancelling debt owed by the world’s poorest nations.
The Argentina-related petition is approaching that historic figure, although its signatures have not been officially recognised as a Guinness World Record.
Will FIFA respond?
At present, FIFA has not announced any decision regarding either petition.
While the governing body is reportedly investigating allegations related to post-match conduct, there is no indication that it intends to replay the World Cup final or impose a ban on Argentina based solely on online petitions.
For now, both campaigns remain symbolic expressions of public opinion, and it remains to be seen whether FIFA will issue any formal response.
