Argentine President Javier Milei has decided not to travel to Washington for the 2026 World Cup group draw, scheduled for December 5. The confirmation came from Chief of Staff Manuel Adorni, who announced the decision without specifying reasons. The cancellation comes amid recent scandals involving the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
Chief of Staff Manuel Adorni announced on November 27, 2025, that President Javier Milei has canceled his scheduled trip to Washington DC to attend the 2026 World Cup group draw, organized by FIFA on December 5. In a message on the social network X, Adorni stated: “he has decided not to make the planned trip” and ended with “End”, without providing details on the reasons.
The draw will define the group compositions for the tournament to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Government sources told the Noticias Argentinas agency that it is a “silent response” to scandals involving the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and its president, Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia, who will attend the event. Key incidents include the “PDFgate,” where the AFA allegedly falsified a document to sanction Estudiantes de La Plata—Milei displayed a jersey of the club in his office in support—and the tax authority's (DGI) complaint against the financial firm “Sur Finanzas,” linked to Tapia.
On November 25, the DGI accused the company before Federal Court No. 2 of Lomas de Zamora for alleged tax evasion and money laundering. According to the complaint, “Sur Finanzas” evaded over 3,300 million pesos in Check Tax between 2022 and 2025, and moved 818,000 million pesos through its virtual wallet, possibly for laundering funds. Additionally, the AFA faces criticism for irregularities such as unexpectedly awarding a title to Rosario Central and suspicions of influence on refereeing by Pablo Toviggino, Tapia's right-hand man.
Milei's decision requires reorganizing his December agenda, prioritizing the handling of the 2026 Budget. The trip was expected to allow a reunion with President Donald Trump and a photo with Lionel Messi, opportunities now thwarted by institutional issues in Argentine football.