Following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, Argentine FA President Claudio Tapia was reportedly subjected to questioning by FBI agents at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport before returning home with the national team delegation. Some reports also claimed that he would be required to appear at a federal court in Florida on July 30 to cooperate with an investigation into alleged irregular financial transactions.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) issued an official statement on July 23 denying these rumours, emphasising that recent media reports were inconsistent with the facts, and providing clarifications regarding the matter.
The statement pointed out that the court documents referred to in outside reports were not summonses issued against Tapia or AFA Secretary-General Pablo Toviggino, but rather legal documents issued by the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida to a third party, requiring that party to testify before a grand jury and to submit relevant documents and communications records involving AFA officials.
The AFA stressed that claims of Tapia and Toviggino being summoned to testify by US judicial authorities were "pure fabrication," and that reports of their mobile phones and other electronic devices being seized were also completely untrue. The statement added that the relevant documents imposed no restrictive measures on Tapia or the AFA treasurer—neither requiring them to appear in court nor placing any procedural obligations on them, and there was no seizure or impoundment of personal property.
However, according to media reports including the "Miami Herald" and Argentina's "La Nación," the US Department of Justice and the FBI are indeed investigating the AFA's financial operations within the United States. The probe is said to focus on whether hundreds of millions of dollars in sponsorship funds were channelled through Florida-based company TourProdEnter LLC and other outlets, potentially involving money laundering and bank fraud. Reports indicate that the investigation began in 2025 and remains in the evidence-gathering stage, with no individuals formally charged to date.
Public records show that Tapia was elected AFA president in April 2017. During his tenure, Argentina won major titles including the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup, and the 2025 Copa América. The AFA stated that Tapia and other management members are continuing to perform their duties normally, and that the relevant international investigation would not affect the association's operations or the national team's work.
Related News:
World Cup | Messi fires back at 'match-fixing' claims: No victory was handed to us
Comment