Argentina, the defending champions, reach the World Cup semi-finals with Lionel Messi playing a central role, setting up a match against England in Atlanta on Wednesday. Ahead of the semi-final, online conspiracy theories circulate about whether Argentina’s path has been unfairly advantaged. Critics point to the relative strength of Argentina’s opponents, saying Argentina has not faced a team ranked higher than 19th in the world prior to its upcoming clash with England.
Multiple outlets report that social media narratives—often presented without evidence—claim FIFA is tilting the playing field in Argentina’s favor. The discussion includes AI-generated videos and memes that exaggerate the allegations, including doctored or fictional images and videos featuring FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Messi.
While the theories gain traction online, the reporting emphasizes the lack of substantiation. The semi-final matchup, scheduled for Wednesday in Atlanta, remains the focus as supporters and critics continue to debate Argentina’s tournament route.
