Argentina fans launch petition to replay World Cup final defeat by Spain

A furious online campaign in Argentina is calling for the 2026 World Cup final against Spain to be replayed, after a petition accusing the referee of decisive errors attracted more than 61,500 signatures.

The petition, hosted on Change.org and launched by Argentine fan Gisela Sanchez, disputes the performance of Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic in the final, which Spain won 1-0 after extra time in New York on Sunday.

Supporters behind the initiative are urging world governing body Fifa to review what they describe as “questionable” decisions during the match. However, there is no legal basis within football’s regulations to force a replay of the game, and no official complaint has been upheld.

Spain secured their World Cup triumph thanks to an extra-time goal from Ferran Torres, denying Argentina back-to-back titles.

Petition questions referee but offers no evidence

According to Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Sanchez’s petition alleges that several of Vincic’s decisions directly influenced the course of the final and that there were incidents which “should be reviewed”.

The document stops short of providing documented or technical evidence to substantiate the accusations. Instead, it broadly questions the referee’s judgment and calls on Fifa to re-examine his key calls during the final.

Despite the lack of supporting proof, the petition has quickly gained traction among Argentine fans on social media platforms, becoming a focal point for anger and disappointment in the aftermath of the defeat.

Fifa has not commented on the petition and there is no indication that any formal investigation into the refereeing of the final has been opened.

No grounds in the rules for a replay

Under Fifa regulations, replaying an official match is reserved for highly specific and exceptional circumstances laid out in the sport’s disciplinary and competition rules – such as proven match-fixing, serious administrative errors or ineligible players.

Disputed refereeing decisions, even if later judged to be incorrect, are not in themselves grounds for overturning a result or ordering a replay.

Football’s laws also give referees broad authority on the field, stating that their decisions on facts connected with play are final.

For those reasons, legal and regulatory experts in the sport say the Argentina petition carries no binding force on Fifa, regardless of how many signatures it ultimately gathers.

Part of wider digital backlash at 2026 World Cup

The Argentine campaign joins a wave of digital protests that have marked the 2026 World Cup.

El Mundo reports that a separate French petition, which has collected more than 82,000 signatures, is demanding a replay of France’s semi-final defeat by Spain. That complaint centres on a contentious incident in the build-up to the penalty won by Spain’s teenage star Lamine Yamal.

As with the Argentina petition, the French effort reflects deep frustration among supporters but faces the same insurmountable barrier in Fifa’s rulebook.

Fans show anger – and gratitude

While online anger has focused on the refereeing, scenes on the ground in Argentina after the final whistle were more complex.

Tens of thousands of fans poured into streets and public squares across the country, not only to vent their frustration at losing the final but also to salute the national team for reaching a second consecutive World Cup decider.

Chants, flags and banners transformed central areas of Buenos Aires and other cities into vast gatherings of blue-and-white. Many supporters expressed pride that Argentina had come within touching distance of defending the title it won in 2022.

Spain’s victory, sealed by Torres’s extra-time strike, delivered them the World Cup for the second time in their history – and left Argentina with a sense of both lingering grievance and lasting admiration for their team.