The controversy surrounding the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain could now move to the courts. According to information released by journalist Eduardo Feinmann, several law firms in the United States are considering filing a class action lawsuit against FIFA for various aspects related to the decisive match held in New Jersey.
During his program on Radio Mitre, Feinmann stated that the initiative is being analyzed by "three to four law firms in the United States", which would seek to represent spectators who believe they were harmed by what occurred during the final.
As he explained, one of the key points of a potential filing would be the video of the rallying cry from Lionel Messi before taking the field, material that the law firms would consider incorporating as part of the case documentation.
The journalist also noted that the strategy would aim to gather the support of thousands of people who attended the stadium. "There were 80,000 people in the stadium who were defrauded. With just 5,000 of those 80,000 signing the petition, they would be eligible for the accusation, at least to present the case to a prosecutor", he asserted.
In that vein, Feinmann added that the lawyers argue that those who purchased tickets for the final may have suffered economic harm if it were proven that there was any irregularity. He also indicated that the potential business behind a class action could exceed 160 million dollars, although he clarified that it would be the law firms that would receive the majority of any potential compensation.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that there are also European firms closely following the case and analyzing various legal alternatives, although they have not made any formal filings to date.
If any legal action progresses, FIFA has a specific structure to address such conflicts. The organization has a Legal and Compliance Services Division, in addition to bodies such as the Disciplinary Committee, the Appeals Committee, the Ethics Committee, and the Football Tribunal. If a sports dispute does not find resolution within the federative structure, it can subsequently reach the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS), the highest international instance for sports litigation.
At the moment, there is no lawsuit filed against FIFA for the 2026 World Cup final. The possible actions mentioned remain in the analysis phase, and no timelines or definitions regarding a potential filing with the courts are known.
