The President of Argentina will not attend the World Cup final in New York due to superstition
The President of Argentina, Javier Milei, has officially announced that he will not travel to New York to watch the national team compete in the World Cup final. Despite the magnitude of the sporting event, the president explained that his decision is entirely rooted in superstition, a practice deeply embedded in Argentinian football culture.
Rather than join the VIP stands in the United States, the president confirmed he will remain in Argentina to watch the crucial match from his official residence, adhering strictly to his established routine.
“Will I go to the match? Absolutely not,” the president stated bluntly. “I will watch the match in my residence in Olivos with my sister, just as I have done since day one. It is a superstition.”
In Argentina, these superstitions are commonly referred to as cábalas—highly respected rituals that fans and public figures perform to avoid bringing bad luck (mufa) to the national team. For the president, maintaining the exact environment and company with which he started watching the tournament is a non-negotiable duty to support the team’s success. He believes that changing his viewing routine for the final could disrupt the positive energy that has carried Argentina this far.
While many world leaders use major sporting finals as opportunities for international diplomacy and public relations, his refusal to travel highlights how seriously these football traditions are taken in his country. By staying at his Olivos residence with his sister, the president chooses to experience the tense final moments of the tournament as a superstitious citizen rather than a traveling head of state.
Ultimately, this decision prioritizes national football folklore over political prestige. For Argentinian fans, the president’s refusal to travel will not be seen as a lack of support, but rather as a highly respectful nod to the superstitions that millions of people across the country will be practicing simultaneously.
