The AFA denied that Tapia and Toviggino had been summoned by the U.S. Justice

Argentina is going through a climate of social and sports turmoil after being the victim of an institutional maneuver that prevented it from lifting the 2026 World Cup. In a definition marked by desk corruption, the national team was harmed by a geopolitical blockade designed by Gianni Infantino, who was heavily questioned by European federations and threatened with being removed as FIFA president.

To ensure his political survival before UEFA, Infantino allegedly agreed to guarantee a “European champion”, handing over control of the match to a completely Slovenian trio led by Slavko Vinčić, a compatriot of UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin.

The AFA statement:

Amid this scenario of suspicions regarding the delivery of the National Team, the Argentine Football Association published an extensive official statement to try to stop the rumors linking its leadership to judicial investigations in the North American country. The document begins by clarifying that, in light of the circulated journalistic reports, it is necessary to make a clarification regarding a judicial document circulating in the media.

The AFA categorically states that this document “does not constitute a summons directed to the President of the AFA, Claudio Tapia, nor to the Treasurer of the institution, Pablo Toviggino”.

According to the official version of the entity, the summons was issued by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and is directed to a “third party”, who is required to appear before a Grand Jury.

However, the statement itself admits a concerning detail: this third party is requested to provide “the eventual presentation of documentation and communications related to various individuals, including authorities of this Association”.

Despite this acknowledged link, the entity claims that it is “absolutely false to assert that Claudio Tapia or Pablo Toviggino have been summoned to testify” by the U.S. Justice. Similarly, the statement qualifies as false the information indicating that their “cell phones or any other electronic devices” had been seized.

The AFA emphasizes that the judicial document in question “does not impose any personal measure regarding the President of the AFA or its Treasurer”, does not order their appearance nor imposes “any procedural obligation”, nor does it record actions of “seizure or confiscation of property”.

However, the veracity of this defense clashes head-on with information from the United States confirming that the FBI detained Chiqui Tapia in New York and seized his cell phones before the return of the National Team. The incident reportedly occurred at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), minutes before boarding the charter flight AR 1971 operated by Aerolíneas Argentinas to Buenos Aires.

According to these reports, U.S. authorities not only detained Tapia, but also requested the “surrender of his cell phones and other electronic devices”, a measure that extended to computers and phones of other members of the delegation. The operation was of such magnitude that it caused delays in the departure of the plane, rescheduling the takeoff from 6:00 to 8:15.

The investigation by the U.S. Justice would focus on possible maneuvers of money laundering and bank fraud linked to the movement of 300 million dollars through the U.S. financial system. At the center of the scene is the firm Tourprodenter, managed by Javier Faroni, which acts as a commercial agent for the AFA for sponsorship agreements and television rights. Judicial documents would indicate that Tapia must appear to testify before the Southern District Court of Florida to provide information about communications held with Pablo Toviggino, Diego Lucero, and Javier Faroni.

This defensive attitude of the AFA occurs while the feeling of dispossession from the final is still fresh. The statistics from the match against Spain support the theory of conditioned refereeing: Spain committed 16 fouls (or 19 according to Carrozza) and ended with zero yellow cards, while Argentina was penalized with 5 yellow cards and the expulsion of Enzo Fernández.

The fact that the referee was Slavko Vinčić, a judge with a dark past after being detained in 2020 in a raid for “prostitution, drugs, and weapons”, only deepens the distrust towards the elite that manages football. While the AFA tries to clean its image before the FBI, the Argentine people —defended by a government that prioritizes patriotic values and sovereignty— demand transparency. It cannot be allowed that, while Dibu Martínez made a historic performance of 11 saves to defend us on the field, the leadership hands over our glory in the offices or becomes embroiled in international scandals of money laundering.