Argentina’s football federation moved quickly on Wednesday to shut down reports that its top two officials had been detained and interrogated by American authorities as the national team departed the United States following its World Cup final defeat.
The Argentine Football Association issued a statement responding to media reports claiming that its president, Claudio Tapia, and treasurer, Pablo Toviggino, had been held at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport before the squad’s flight home after Sunday’s loss to Spain. Those reports alleged the two men were questioned, had their electronic devices confiscated, and were later summoned to appear in court over matters connected to AFA’s international contracts.
AFA rejected every element of that account, labeling the claims absolutely false. A source close to the association went further in comments to AFP, dismissing the reports outright as lies. The FBI, for its part, declined to offer any comment on the matter.
Even as it pushed back on the detention claims, AFA did confirm one piece of the story, acknowledging that a district court in Florida had issued a summons targeting a third party connected to the federation. According to the association, that individual has been asked to appear before a grand jury and produce documents and communications potentially tied to several people, including officials within AFA itself.
The episode adds another layer to what has already been a turbulent period for the federation. AFA, under Tapia’s leadership since 2017, currently faces multiple investigations back home in Argentina, including one probing alleged money laundering and another examining possible tax evasion.
Tensions have also been building between AFA and the government of President Javier Milei. Tapia, a former trade unionist, has been an outspoken opponent of Milei’s push to privatize football clubs across the country, a disagreement that has strained the relationship between the football body and the current administration even as the federation now finds itself fending off international scrutiny as well.
