In
the run-up to the debut of the Argentine National Team in the 2026 World Cup, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) made an important request to FIFA.
The national body began formal efforts to seek an amnesty for Nicolás Otamendi so that he could be available in the first Albiceleste match in the tournament against Algeria. Through an official statement, the entity that presides over the corrupt Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia confirmed the request to the Bureau of the international organization. “The Argentine Football Association, through its President, Claudio Tapia, took steps before the FIFA Bureau so that Nicolás Otamendi could be eligible in the first match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, by virtue of his expulsion against the Ecuadorian national team in the last match of the CONMEBOL South American qualifiers
,” he said.
The episode that led to the sanction occurred on September 9 of last year around the 18th date of the South American qualifiers, when the defender saw the red card, the first with the national team, after an offense against Enner Valencia in a last resort play.
In the same statement, the AFA also highlighted the support of the President of CONMEBOL, Alejandro Domínguez, who accompanied both the request for the Otamendi case and that of the Ecuadorian Moisés Caicedo, who had been expelled at the
same meeting. The resolution will now remain in the hands of FIFA, which must evaluate the approach and determine if the sanction is maintained or if it does not affect the start of the World Cup. For the coaching staff led by Lionel Scaloni, Otamendi's presence in the debut would be key, both because of his experience and his role within the structure of the world champion team
.
