CORNERFLICK
FIFA said Argentina were the main target of abusive social media posts during the 2026 World Cup, according to a report released less than three months after the final.
What the report found
The study was carried out by FIFA’s Social Media Protection Service, or SMPS, ahead of World Mental Health Day. It analysed more than 17.1 million posts and comments across X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
According to TyC Sports, England, Spain, Brazil and Norway followed Argentina in the rankings for abuse aimed at national teams. FIFA said the main theme of the attacks on Argentina involved claims about refereeing help.
Players also targeted
On individual abuse, Argentine players ranked fourth behind those from France, England and Portugal. FIFA said racism was the main issue there, with comments focused on the African heritage of some players.
The 2026 World Cup ended with Spain beating Argentina 1-0 in the final through a Fran Torres goal.