Javier Milei will not be in the stands of MetLife Stadium this Sunday when Argentina and Spain compete in the final of the 2026 World Cup.
The Argentine president confirmed on Thursday that he will not travel to the United States to attend the match, and the reason has nothing to do with politics: it’s pure superstition.
In an interview with Radio El Observador 107.9, Milei was emphatic: "There is absolutely no way I will travel to the United States this Sunday. I will watch the match from Olivos like I did the first time." When directly asked if it was a superstition, he responded with a brief "yes."
The president explained that since the start of the tournament, he has watched each match in the cinema at the presidential residence in Quinta de Olivos, Buenos Aires, accompanied by his sister Karina Milei, the Secretary General of the Presidency. "I have been watching the matches from Olivos since day one. It's a ritual; I watch the games in the cinema of Olivos with my sister," he stated.
Another ritual is added: Milei wears a jacket from the state oil company YPF as a good luck charm, a tradition he adopted during the match against Switzerland after noticing that Argentina scored a goal just when he had taken it off.
Several media outlets, including AS and NTN24, confirmed the president's statement: the absence is solely due to superstition and not for political or diplomatic reasons.
Milei's decision contrasts with that of other world leaders who will be in the stadium. Donald Trump will attend the final and present the trophy to the champion team alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as confirmed by the White House on Thursday.
The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, will also attend by invitation from Trump. On the Spanish side, the entire royal family — King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor, and Infanta Sofía — will be present at the MetLife Stadium.
The final between Argentina and Spain is an unprecedented match in World Cup history: the two teams have never faced each other in a final before. Argentina reached the decisive match after defeating England 2-1 in the semifinals, while Spain eliminated France 2-0 in Dallas.
Milei also took the opportunity during the interview to refute rumors circulating on social media about a supposed arrangement of the tournament in favor of Argentina, calling those claims "nonsense."
The president offered to make the Casa Rosada available for the team to celebrate there if they win the title, although he clarified that he will not appear in the official photograph to avoid politicizing the sports achievement.
The final will begin at 3:00 p.m. Cuba time, with the Slovenian Slavko Vincic as the referee designated by FIFA, and Lionel Messi aiming for his second World Cup gold medal at the age of 39.
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