Following Argentina's 1-0 loss to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, social media platforms were flooded with unsupported claims that the result had been rigged, with theories ranging from an alleged FIFA-UEFA pact to crown Spain, to suggestions that Argentina were "punished" for displaying a "Las Malvinas son argentinas" banner after eliminating England. Fact-checking organisations Chequeado (Argentina) and Maldita.es (Spain) found no documents, identifiable testimony, or formal complaints to support any of the claims, and Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni dismissed the speculation outright, saying "We lost because they played better" — a verdict underscored by the fact that Argentina failed to register a single shot on target across 120 minutes. Disinformation experts note that conspiracy theories reliably surge after high-emotion events because they offer simple answers to complex outcomes and reinforce group identity, with major sporting tournaments providing particularly fertile ground for their spread.