AFA’s denial and the legal backdrop
Federal investigators have opened a grand jury inquiry in Florida that is examining a web of contracts worth more than $300 million tied to the Argentine Football Association, the body that governs the country’s soccer clubs.
The Argentine Football Association issued a firm denial that its president, Claudio Tapia, or treasurer, Pablo Toviggino, had been summoned by US courts, stressing that neither official was the target of any legal action.
Local reports had suggested that FBI agents detained the two officials at New York’s JFK Airport and demanded access to Tapia’s electronic devices, but the federation maintains that no such seizure occurred.
While the US probe focuses on alleged financial improprieties abroad, Argentine authorities are simultaneously investigating the AFA for possible money‑laundering and tax‑evasion schemes, adding another layer of scrutiny to the organization’s operations.
The tension has escalated as President Javier Milei’s administration pushes forward with plans to privatize several soccer clubs, a move that the AFA has opposed, further complicating the relationship between the federation and the government.
Observers warn that the overlapping investigations could reshape the governance of Argentine football, influencing everything from club ownership structures to the league’s international partnerships.