7.5 Million Sign Petition To 'Kick Argentina Out' Of FIFA World Cup 2026. Here's Why

Defending FIFA World Cup champions Argentina take on England in the second semi-final of the 2026 edition. Before the match, public outrage has grown over Lionel Messi's team's alleged favouritism from referees. According to a report in the South China Morning Post, over 6 million people have signed an online petition demanding Argentina's expulsion from the FIFA World Cup. This comes after allegations of referee favouritism.

The statement from the campaign, by argentinaout.com, reads: "It is obvious that FIFA and the referees are biased toward Lionel Messi and Argentina. Why should the rest of the world compete when the winner has already been decided? Kick Argentina out of the World Cup and give everyone else a fair chance."

By early Wednesday morning, more than 7.5 million people had signed the petition.

England and Argentina will lock horns in the latest chapter of one of the game's most compelling rivalries.

The history of matches between the nations is peppered with incidents, set against a lingering sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands, known in Spanish as the Malvinas, in the South Atlantic Ocean.

The encounter takes place 40 years after Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal helped Argentina to a 2-1 win at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

England captain Harry Kane, who is competing against Messi and Mbappe for the Golden Boot, said his team would not be distracted by the emotional baggage surrounding the fixture.

"From a player's point of view, it's us against a great team, who are smart, who are tactical, who know how to buy fouls, know how to slow the game down -- like many different teams you come up against throughout your whole career," Kane told ITV.

With AFP inputs

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