Editorial office of the TASS website
BUENOS AIRES, December 13. /TASS/. The International Football Federation (FIFA) may exclude the Argentina national team from participating in the 2026 World Cup. The newspaper reports this The Nation.
The reason for such a decision may be a scandal in the national football association. On Wednesday, new searches were carried out in connection with the case of the head of the organization, Claudio Tapia. They were part of an investigation into not only the top official of Argentine football, but also his confidant Pablo Toviginho, as well as the organization’s deputy treasurer Luciano Nakis.
The court is, in particular, investigating the issue of ownership of an estate in the city of Pilar. The property includes 10 hectares of land, a helipad, a horse farm and more than 50 vintage cars. It is noted that the property is registered in the name of a pensioner and a private entrepreneur, who, according to investigators, act as front men.
The publication believes that FIFA, which does not approve of government interference in the affairs of national federations, may exclude the Argentine team from participating in the next World Cup. The newspaper argues that the judiciary must quickly determine whether these individuals are guilty or innocent and whether they deserve to keep their jobs or should be removed.
In addition, an investigation is underway into the accounting practices of the financial company Sur Finanzas, which sponsors several Argentine clubs as well as the national team. The company is suspected of embezzling funds. It is led by businessman Ariel Vallejo, who is a friend of Tapia. The company was the subject of a complaint filed last month by the tax bureau’s chief office on suspicion of tax evasion.
The Argentina national team is the current world champion. At the 2026 World Championships, the team will compete in Group J along with the teams of Austria, Algeria and Jordan. The tournament will take place in the USA, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
