Could Spain face Argentina again? Inside the FIFA World Cup replay petition and Lionel Messi conspiracy theories

It's been four days since the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, and as we all know, it was a disappointing performance from Lionel Messi's Argentina against an overwhelmingly stronger Spanish team.

Furious Argentine fans are refusing to accept defeat, launching a fiery petition to replay the 2026 World Cup final after Spain's heartbreaking 1-0 victory. The backlash comes just days after the July 19 showdown at New York's MetLife Stadium.


But what's really driving the outrage? Is it a growing belief that the final was influenced by a conspiracy, or are controversial refereeing decisions to blame? Let's explore it all. Scroll down!

The Argentine hinchas are signing the petition in huge numbers, believing controversial refereeing decisions denied their team a real chance of defending the FIFA World Cup title.

Many have pointed to inconsistent foul calls, key decisions that appeared to favour Spain, and the red card on Enzo Fernández that left Argentina with 10 players during extra time.


It was ignited by passionate Argentine supporter Gisela Sanchez, who launched the petition on Change.org shortly after the July 19 World Cup final. Her appeal quickly gained traction online as she urged FIFA to review the refereeing decisions and consider replaying the match.

Sanchez said the campaign was about more than Argentina's defeat. She described it as “a fight for fairness not only for Argentina, but for the future of world football.” according to Marca.



At the time of writing this story, the Change.org petition has now crossed 82,000 signatures and is still gaining support. Whether that number continues to rise or eventually slows down remains to be seen, making the petition's final tally all the more intriguing.

As emotions continue to run high, both Argentina supporters and rival fans are having their say.

One user on X(formerly Twitter) wrote, One Argentina supporter wrote, "This wasn't a loss on the pitch, it was stolen by bad refereeing. We deserve a rematch!"

Another added, "Messi deserved better. Heartbroken, but we stand united for fairness." A third fan urged, "67,000+ signatures and counting. FIFA must listen, replay the final!"

Not everyone was convinced, though. One user mocked the campaign, writing, "Argentina can't accept they were outplayed. Spain dominated, move on."

Another commented, "Petition for a rematch? Try playing better next time instead of the dark arts and post-match brawls."

Yes, these are the very conspiracy theories we touched on at the start, and they've only grown louder since Argentina's World Cup final defeat.

Some fans have linked it to the "Malvinas son Argentinas" banner displayed after the win over England. In contrast, others have alleged secret FIFA-UEFA deals to ensure a European champion or claimed players' families were threatened.


Even Lionel Messi's pre-match words, "Olvidémonos de todo"(let's forget everything), have been twisted into what some believe was a coded message. However, there is no credible evidence to support any of these claims, and they remain nothing more than online speculation.


Much of the backlash was directed at Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić, with fans questioning several key decisions throughout the final. Supporters criticised his decision to book Enzo Fernández for dissent, claimed Spain escaped punishment for several fouls, particularly those involving Álex Baena, and were frustrated that an alleged insult from Marcos Cucurella towards Lionel Messi was never reviewed.

On the other hand, Spain fans argued that Nico Williams' extra-time goal should have stood, insisting the foul that ruled it out was a soft decision, leading to heated clashes online.

After enjoying an outstanding World Cup campaign, the Argentine midfielder's luck took a dramatic turn in the final. The Argentine midfielder was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time on July 19, resulting in his dismissal.

His first booking came for dissent after protesting a refereeing decision, while the second followed a reckless challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsí that sent the youngster tumbling.



Soon after the final whistle, tempers boiled over as the defensive midfielder became one of the main figures in a heated on-field clash. The Argentina midfielder appeared to grab Spain's Eric García by the throat before throwing punches and bringing Gavi to the ground.

Nahuel Molina and several other players were also caught up in the scuffle, which later prompted FIFA to open a disciplinary investigation into the post-match violence.

It is extremely unlikely that FIFA will order a replay of the 2026 World Cup final. While the petition has attracted significant attention online, it carries no official weight under FIFA regulations, with replays only considered in exceptional circumstances.