Superstition Makes Argentine President Not Attending the 2026 World Cup Final

JAKARTA - Argentine President Javier Milei said he would not attend the 2026 World Cup final on Monday, July 20, 2026, in the early hours of WIB, in New Jersey because of superstition.

He chose to watch the match between Spain and Argentina from home - where he had watched seven previous matches of the Tango Team in the tournament.

In an effort to help his country's football team secure a second consecutive title, Milei added that he would also wear the same thick jacket.

Fans and players around the world cling to superstitions they believe can bring good luck to their teams - or bad luck to their opponents.

However, in Latin America, and especially in Argentina, what are called cabalas or beliefs and ritualistic habits, have an unusual weight.

When asked if he would go to New Jersey to watch the game with US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as many had predicted, Milei denied it.

"I will continue to watch all the matches from Olivos," he told Buenos Aires' local radio station, El Observador, referring to his presidential residence.

Reporters continued to pester him about why he was living at home. Sure enough, Milei admitted that it was all because of superstition.

"Because it was cold and I didn't turn on the heater, I wore a jacket with the oil company's logo. On the day of the match against Switzerland, the jacket made me very hot."

"I took it off and they scored against us. I put it back on and never took it off again," Milei said of the ritual while watching Argentina.

Like Milei, most Argentines have cabalas that require them to stick to the exact same routine if the team wins.

Some wear the same clothes during every match, refusing to wash their jerseys during the World Cup.

Some people watch every game in the same place -- or aren't even allowed to watch at all, as was the case for those who happened to be in the bathroom when Argentina scored.

Even the smallest actions have tremendous meaning. In a widely shared video from the 2026 World Cup, a group of fans began reading the Bible just as Argentina started scoring against Egypt.

They have been forced to repeat the ritual at every game since. One common ritual to unsettle an opponent involves freezing a figurine of a player or a piece of paper with the opponent's name on it.

Argentine presidents have long been wary of attending high-risk World Cup matches to avoid bringing bad luck to their teams.

This superstition began in the 1990 edition, when President Carlos Menem visited the Argentine squad just before they suffered a shocking defeat in the opening match against Cameroon.

Menem was dubbed mufa or the bearer of bad luck. No Argentine President is known to have attended a Tango Team match since then.