Spain’s dramatic 1-0 overtime victory over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final may have sealed the trophy, but the controversy surrounding the game continues to simmer just days after the final whistle.A petition calling for the World Cup final to be replayed has now attracted 88,915 signatures at the time of writing, with thousands of Argentina supporters claiming the match was affected by controversial refereeing decisions.The online campaign, started on Change.org by Argentina supporter Gisela Sanchez, calls on FIFA to review the performance of Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, who oversaw Sunday’s final at New York’s New Jersey Stadium.
Petition accuses referee of ‘controversial and corrupt’ performance
Ferran Torres’ winner in the 106th minute of extra time sealed Spain’s second men’s World Cup title, ending Argentina’s hopes of retaining the trophy they won four years ago.However, this result was not accepted by some Argentine supporters.exist petitionSanchez claimed Vincic’s performance was “controversial and corrupt” and urged FIFA to investigate several key decisions made during the final.“The recent final between Argentina and Spain was tainted by the controversial and corrupt performance of referees who, according to video evidence, were bribed to influence the outcome,” the petition said.“This is a huge disappointment for players, coaches and especially fans who long to see a game decided by talent and dedication on the pitch rather than manipulative refereeing decisions.“If we allow corruption to be ignored on the global stage, we will set a bad example for future generations of athletes and fans.“We therefore ask FIFA to review these incidents seriously and transparently and consider replaying the final, this time without the influence of corrupt referees.”
88,000 Argentina fans demand World Cup final replay after referee claims ‘controversial and corrupt’
However, the petition provides no independently verified evidence to support the accusations, other than videos circulating on social media that organizers claim are favorable to Spain.
Spain sealed victory in overtime
Despite the reaction of some supporters, Spain was generally considered to have performed better throughout the final.Luis de la Fuente’s side dominated possession for long periods of time, forcing Argentina deep into their own half and denying the defending champions a single shot on target in normal game time.Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez kept Argentina in the game on several occasions before Ferran Torres broke the deadlock in the 106th minute of overtime.
Fans watch the World Cup final football match between Argentina and Spain on Sunday, July 19, 2026, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
In the third minute of stoppage time at the end of regular time, midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off, making Argentina’s task even more difficult.Fernandez, who had already been booked for dissent after a free-kick was denied, received a second yellow card after a reckless challenge on Spanish defender Paulo Cubasi, reducing Lionel Scaloni’s side to ten men before the start of extra-time.According to game statistics, Vincic was awarded a total of 46 fouls in the final, including 25 fouls by Argentina. The game became more and more fragmented.
After the final whistle sounded, the anger on both sides boiled over
This frustration continued into the final moments of the night.Shortly after Spain was confirmed as World Cup champions, ugly scenes erupted on the pitch.Leandro Paredes was sent off after the final whistle after a clash between Eric Garcia and Garvey, while Nahuel Molina also appeared to spark part of the confrontation after confronting Spain captain Rodri.The incidents have since become the subject of a separate disciplinary review by FIFA.In a report by ITV, former England defender Gary Neville strongly criticized Argentina’s actions.“It’s a shame,” Neville said.“I like the competitiveness of the Argentinians, they fight hard every game. Messi backs them up sometimes, they are very competitive and I like that element of them.“But the last few games have been a disgrace.”
Similar replay activity occurred earlier in the game
The Argentina petition is not the first online campaign to call for rematches during this World Cup.French fans took issue with the controversial incident that led to the penalty kick following Spain’s semi-final victory over France, launching a similar petition on Change.org.The campaign also collected more than 82,000 signatures but had no impact on FIFA’s official results.Again, there is no indication that the latest petition will change the outcome of the World Cup final.Meanwhile, Change.org has launched a petition taking the opposite stance. A campaign calling for Argentina to be banned from future World Cups collected more than 29 million signatures before it was finally concluded.Online debate aside, thousands of Argentinian fans gathered across the country after the team returned home to cheer Lionel Scaloni’s side into a second consecutive World Cup final, although they fell just short of defending the title against an impressive Spanish side.
