Argentina ‘request for £4.5m payment’ emerges before England clash | Football | Sport
This image shows the logo of Argentine Football Association (AFA), at the headquarters entrance in Buenos Aires. (Image: Luis ROBAYO / AFP via Getty Images)
Accusations have surfaced alleging the Argentinian Football Association demanded a massive £4.5million ($6million) payment just days before their World Cup 2026 semi-final against England. As Lionel Messi and Co. prepare for Wednesday’s high-stakes clash in Atlanta, reports suggest the world champions had previously been involved in contentious financial negotiations.
The controversy stems from a failed friendly match against Mexico earlier this year. To celebrate the reopening of the refurbished Estadio Banorte, the Mexican FA invited Argentina for an exhibition game in March. Although terms were initially discussed for the 90,000-seat venue, the deal reportedly collapsed due to Argentina’s steep appearance fee demands.
The fixture would have provided both national sides with valuable preparation before the tournament, with the understanding that Argentina would be compensated for their involvement. Lionel Scaloni’s team were scheduled to appear there after terms were agreed, but the arrangement collapsed over the world champions’ appearance fee requirements, according to reports in Mexico.
Record Mexico journalist Carlos Ponce de Leon states that the Argentina FA informed their Mexican counterparts they wanted ‘$6m (£4.5m) for the match’. A further complication reportedly arose after they allegedly asked for the payment to be divided and transferred into separate bank accounts.
“Mexico, while looking for opponents to finalise its preparation ahead of the 2026 World Cup, ended up finding Portugal and Belgium, but it had already made contact with Argentina. There was already an agreement with Argentina to play against the reigning world champions,” Ponce de León said.
Inside the Azteca Stadium (Image: David Ramos, Getty Images)
“The problem was that from the Argentine Federation, they told the Mexican Federation (FMF): ‘You know what, it’s $6m (£4.5m) for the match.’ It’s crazy. They are the national team that charges the most to play a soccer match, even more expensive than Portugal.
“And they told the FMF: ‘It’s $6m (£4.5m), but guess what? You deposit one part here, another part here, and another part here.’ In other words, you have to distribute the money among different places. The Mexican Federation said: ‘I’ll give you the money and you can distribute it however you want.'”
When Mexico refused to comply, Argentina persisted in demanding the payment be divided and both parties ultimately walked away from the arrangement, with Argentina pulling out of the proposed fixture entirely.
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Argentina play England in Atlanta on Wednesday. (Image: Juan Luis Diaz/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Ponce de Leon added: “The response was: ‘No, we need your help with this, etc.’ That’s when the warning signs appeared, and the FMF said: ‘We are not going to get involved in problems.'”
The co-hosts ultimately arranged a friendly against Portugal on 28th March 2026, which finished in a goalless draw. Nevertheless, there was a degree of frustration on Mexico’s part that Cristiano Ronaldo failed to feature in the match, given the 41-year-old’s worldwide appeal.
Express Sport has reached out to the AFA for comment.
