Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign has been overshadowed by several off-field controversies, with reports claiming shocking financial scams and bank fraud. After an FBI investigation was launched for a suspected money laundering case, the Argentina Football Association (AFA) has once again come under fire due to its alleged demands for an international friendly between the Argentina and Mexico national teams. Football federations of the two countries agreed to a pre-World Cup warm-up match, for which the AFA reportedly demanded 6 million US dollars.
The Mexican Federation (FMF) had turned down the offer after the Argentine officials asked them to deposit the money in three separate bank accounts, as reported by journalist Carlos Ponce de Leon in the sports newspaper Record. Mexico wanted to play the friendly, but they were against distributing the money in different places.
What did the Mexican federation respond to Argentina’s demand?
“The Mexican Federation said: ‘I’ll give you the money and you can distribute it however you want.’ The response was: ‘No, we need your help with this, etc.’ That’s when the warning signs appeared, and the FMF said: ‘We are not going to get involved in problems’,” De Leon explained further.
The deal ultimately collapsed, making Mexico look out for other options. The World Cup co-hosts then played a practice game against Portugal at Estadio Azteca, a venue where they also ended their campaign with a Round of 16 defeat to England. After facing Roberto Martinez’s side, Mexico hosted another big-ticket friendly against Belgium.
Just before the World Cup began, El Tricolor played three more warm-up games against Ghana, Australia and Serbia, respectively.
Argentine Football Money Laundering Controversy
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has come under intense international scrutiny following reports of an FBI investigation into alleged financial misconduct involving the suspected misuse of more than $300 million routed through the United States financial system. The probe reportedly focuses on commercial agreements and revenue generated from exhibition matches that were handled by third-party firms, including Toll Pro Fraud Enter LLC.
According to reports, investigators are reviewing nearly $57 million in wire transfers made to multiple companies and individuals, with authorities questioning the legitimacy of several transactions. The AFA, however, has firmly rejected the allegations and denied any wrongdoing.
