News of tapia

Crossfire for AFA’s top brass amid persistent corruption claims

Yesterday 19:07 Claudio Tapia, president of AFA, and Pablo Toviggino, his treasurer and right-hand man, are at the centre of court investigations, business complaints and accusations.

by Juan Cruz Soqueira

POLITICS & SPORT

Tapia distances himself from AFA’s negative headlines at home

18-12-2025 01:18 AFA says Milei “has chosen it as a target of his political ambitions” as Bullrich files corruption complaint with CONMEBOL against football governing body’s chief and treasurer.

PROFILE

Verón, AFA’s adversary, takes Estudiantes to Clausura triumph

18-12-2025 00:19 The sporting success of 'El Pincha' is not the only reason ‘La Brujita’ Verón has been in the spotlight of late.

Football in Argentina

Estudiantes crowned Clausura champions after penalty shoot-out win over Racing

14-12-2025 10:14 Estudiantes crowned champions of Clausura tournament after beating Racing 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Madre de Ciudades stadium in Santiago del Estero; Adrián ‘Maravilla’ Martínez opened the scoring with a fine finish, before Guido Carrillo headed home a dramatic equaliser. In the shoot-out, Uruguay international Muslera was the hero for the Pincha.

GRAFT INVESTIGATION

Police raid offices of Argentina football federation in corruption probe

09-12-2025 14:58 Judge ordered searches at Argentine Football Association (AFA) headquarters and at more than a dozen football clubs in relation to a criminal complaint filed by the country’s tax agency against Sur Finanzas.

CORRUPTION IN SPORT

Police raid AFA offices, top clubs in Sur Finanzas money-laundering probe

09-12-2025 14:53 Headquarters of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and up to 17 clubs raided as part of money-laundering investigation into Sur Finanzas; Raids carried out at Racing, San Lorenzo, Independiente, Banfield, Los Andes, Barracas Central and Acassuso, among others.

EDITORIAL

Milei’s offside trap

06-12-2025 06:41 A shady AFA might seem an easy target for polarisation but Milei could be playing with fire.

Politics & football

‘Tiny’ Tapia follows in the footsteps of ‘Don Julio’

06-12-2025 06:37 Tapia and the AFA scandal sit at the centre of a web of connections looping in almost the entire political ecosystem. It is under scrutiny by investigative journalists and the Judiciary, with the United States also paying attention.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

FOOTBALL & POLITICS

Milei exposes local football rift by skipping Trump’s World Cup show

05-12-2025 10:24 President Milei and AFA chief Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia are at odds over an attempt to allow private ownership of teams in the football-obsessed nation – a row that has spilled over into the 2026 World Cup draw.

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

High corruption in Argentina

29-11-2025 05:00 Two years into Javier Milei’s Presidency, there is a growing sense of impunity that by no means is his sole responsibility. It is reminiscent of moments of high corruption such as those seen in the latter Kirchnerite years.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

Football in Argentina

On-field excitement and off-field silliness in Argentina's top flight

28-11-2025 11:54 Thanks to the AFA, Rosario Central and Estudiantes de La Plata, Argentine football stirred one of its classic storms in a teacup uproars – and it did not disappoint.

by Dan Edwards

SPORTING SANCTION ROW

AFA furore deepens as tribunal sanctions Estudiantes, bans Verón

28-11-2025 10:33 Estudiantes condemns punishment handed out La Plata-based side after their players turned their backs on Rosario Central during guard of honour; Club President Verón handed six-month ban, captain stripped of band for three months and players suspended; Dispute over direction of domestic game deepens after the club signals possible legal action.

Football in Argentina

Beautiful game, baffling system: Argentina’s impossible league system

24-11-2025 18:21 A byzantine league system, eight trophies up for grabs starting from 2026 and formats that would give Albert Einstein a migraine – welcome to the wonderful chaos of Argentine football.

Football in Argentina

Rise of Barracas Central, ‘Chiqui’ Tapia's club, sparks debate

06-11-2025 17:13 Barracas Central’s climb into Argentina’s top flight has triggered debate over alleged refereeing favouritism, sparking controversy among opposition fans.

ECUADOR CRIME VS FOOTBALL

Hitmen, mafias, match-fixing – cartels turning Ecuador’s football into a killing field

01-10-2025 19:14 A wave of assassinations tied to illicit betting has left Ecuador’s footballers living in fear, as powerful cartels infiltrate clubs, launder money and threaten players to throw matches.

2025 – YEAR IN PREVIEW

What lies ahead for Argentine football in 2025

03-01-2025 07:59 Your (tongue-firmly-in-cheek) guide to what lies ahead for Argentine football in the next 12 months.

by Dan Edwards

FOOTBALL

Clubs re-elect ‘Chiqui’ Tapia as AFA chief in defiance of Milei government

18-10-2024 07:21 Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia easily wins re-election as chief of Argentina’s domestic football federation, laying down a challenge to President Javier Milei’s government.

FOOTBALL & POLITICS

AFA chief Tapia, with Riquelme in tow, extends mandate to 2028

17-09-2024 15:57 ‘Chiqui’ set to extend seven-year stay at helm of domestic football’s governing body after no challenger emerges for upcoming elections; Boca legend Juan Romàn Riquelme joins Tapia’s team.

FOOTBALL & POLITICS

Court blocks Milei’s privatisation plan for Argentina’s football clubs

04-09-2024 15:20 President’s decree forcing football governing body AFA to accept private capital into nation’s football clubs blocked by injunction until definitive ruling issued by courts.

FOOTBALL & POLITICS

AFA calls elections with ‘Chiqui’ Tapia seeking third term

03-09-2024 17:38 Head of Argentine football’s governing body, fresh off the back of World Cup and Copa América triumphs, will seek a third term in October elections; Move comes as President Javier Milei seeks sweeping changes to structure of the national game.

FOOTBALL & POLITICS

Milei’s sets collision course with AFA in club ownership row

23-08-2024 14:41 A conflict is brewing that could tear the nation's game down the middle. President Milei’s government is bent on imposing a new club ownership model that would privatise sporting institutions, but its arguments for the change do not stand up to scrutiny.

by Dan Edwards

FOOTBALL IN ARGENTINA

Tevez’s spat with Tapia shows consequences of AFA’s chaos

08-03-2024 11:23 Carlos Tevez declared open rebellion against Argentine football's reigning powers this week after seeing his Independiente side held against Barracas Central, in a match peppered with dubious refereeing decisions.

by Dan Edwards