Three historians agreed that Argentina exhibits forms of racism but rejected claims it is the most racist country in the world. Their statements respond to the public debate sparked by the 2026 World Cup.
Ezequiel Adamovsky, a historian with a doctorate from University College London, stated that racism exists intensely in Argentina but called it ridiculous to consider the country the most racist in the world. He noted that Argentina lacked racial segregation regimes like those in the United States and that the term negro is used both affectionately and derogatorily among popular classes.
Patricio Lons argued that the accusations stem from internal debates in the United States. He highlighted that the current Afro-descendant population ranges between 100,000 and 300,000 people and that slaves in the Viceroyalty received rights such as Sunday rest and the possibility to buy their freedom, unlike the Anglo-Saxon system.
Felipe Pigna said Argentina cannot be defined as a racist society by isolated incidents. He recalled the participation of Afro-descendants in the independence wars and maintained that discriminatory insults in football must be sanctioned, though they do not represent the country's identity as a whole.
