The president of the AFA, Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia, traveled to the United States and participated in a conclave at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's exclusive residence. This visit, which took place hours after the draw for the 2026 World Cup, carried significant political weight, as Tapia held high-level meetings with American officials and business leaders. According to information from the Argentine News Agency, Tapia's presence was a key moment, filling the 'void' left by the cancellation of President Javier Milei's trip to Washington, which had caused 'diplomatic noise' in bilateral relations. During the dinner organized at Mar-a-Lago, Tapia had a long conversation with Félix Lasarte, an advisor to the President's Intelligence Committee. From the dialogue, an invitation arose for the head of the AFA to meet with Donald Trump at the White House prior to the World Cup. The Argentine presence was interpreted in Washington as a necessary institutional gesture, with Tapia acting as an interlocutor at a time of diplomatic tension. The visit occurred in parallel with the National Government intensifying its criticisms of the AFA's leadership, with officials and journalists aligned with the ruling party even questioning the closeness of Lionel Messi to the entity's president. Patricia Bullrich had publicly asked the Argentine captain to 'step aside'.
