Why Latin America Is Rooting Against Argentina in the 2026 World Cup Final

Here are the specific grievances, fact-checked against current reporting.

1. Perceived Favorable Refereeing ("VARgentina")

Multiple teams and officials have complained that Argentina is receiving favorable treatment from referees and VAR. The social media nickname "VARgentina" has been widely used by fans alleging that FIFA wants Lionel Messi to lift another trophy .

• Egypt formally requested that FIFA remove the officials who oversaw their round-of-16 loss, accusing FIFA of favoritism toward Argentina and Messi . FIFA's refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina publicly dismissed these bias claims .
• Croatia filed a formal complaint over VAR use in their match against Argentina .
• Switzerland coach Murat Yakin blasted Breel Embolo's red card in the quarterfinal as "unacceptable" .
• Spain itself raised concerns before the final, with defender Aymeric Laporte saying the Spanish side observed "strange things" that benefited Argentina .

Argentine captain Lionel Messi has responded directly to the bias accusations, saying: "Nothing was given to us" .

2. Racism Accusations Against Argentine Fans and Players

A series of racist incidents during the tournament and in the preceding year has severely damaged Argentina's image across the region and beyond.

• Enzo Fernandez video (2024 Copa América): After winning the 2024 Copa América, midfielder Enzo Fernandez posted a live video from the team bus showing Argentina players singing a chant with racist and transphobic lyrics directed at French players. It prompted disciplinary action at Chelsea and investigations by the French Football Federation and FIFA .
• IShowSpeed incident (2026 World Cup): During Argentina's Round of 32 match against Cape Verde, Argentine fans targeted Black American streamer IShowSpeed with chants including "go cry to the zoo." FIFA issued a statement condemning the racist abuse and launched an investigation .
• Resurfaced locker-room video: An older video of Argentina players chanting racial slurs during Copa América celebrations resurfaced during the 2026 tournament, drawing renewed condemnation from figures including Dallas Cowboys insider Clarence Hill Jr. .

Latin American fans have cited these incidents as a key reason for breaking the traditional rule of supporting the region's last remaining team .

3. Falkland Islands Banner in the Semifinal Against England

After defeating England 2-1 in the semifinal, Argentine players displayed a banner reading "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas" (The Falklands Are Argentine) . This sparked widespread criticism for introducing a territorial dispute — rooted in the 1982 Falklands War — into the sporting event and deepened anti-Argentina sentiment, particularly among British and international audiences .

The gesture also drew attention to Argentine fans' historically aggressive anti-England chants, which are perceived as deeply political rather than playful banter .

4. Argentine President Javier Milei's Polarizing Politics

President Javier Milei, a self-described libertarian and close ally of Donald Trump, has become a polarizing figure across Latin America, where many governments are left-leaning .

• Milei aggressively politicized the national team, including applauding a handshake between Messi and Trump that divided Argentines themselves .
• At a gathering of Latino political leaders, Milei's alignment with Trump and conservative policies generated little enthusiasm for Argentina .
• His government's pro-Israel stance created a political flashpoint: pro-Palestine protesters targeted Argentina during their match against Egypt after an Israeli flag appeared among Argentine fans .

Milei's domestic approval ratings have declined amid corruption scandals and persistent inflation, and his attempts to use the national team for political gain have not been well received outside Argentina .

5. Long-Standing Regional Rivalries and Perceptions of Arrogance

Beyond the immediate controversies, many Latin Americans view Argentina as arrogant and dismissive of its neighbors .

• Deep football rivalries with Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, and Mexico fuel an "anyone but Argentina" mentality .
• Argentine fans have historically chanted anti-Brazil and anti-English songs, which are perceived as aggressive rather than playful .
• The sense that Argentines see themselves as "European" rather than Latin American has long been a source of irritation across the region .

Colombian sociologist and anthropologist Nicolás Cabrera, who has studied football supporters across Latin America, observed: "In the past, people were more likely to support a Latin American team against a European one, but that has changed quite a lot in recent years" .

The Bottom Line

The anti-Argentina sentiment in the 2026 World Cup final is the result of multiple converging factors: well-documented refereeing controversies, repeated racist incidents involving both fans and players, a politically charged Falklands banner, President Milei's divisive right-wing image, and decades of regional rivalry. Each incident alone would not have been enough to turn the region against its last standing team, but taken together — and amplified by social media — they have made Argentina the tournament's most polarizing team .