Watch: Argentina fans who missed out on US visas get free TVs for 2026 World Cup

As soccer fever heats up ahead of the 2026 World Cup, a group of Argentina fans who missed out on their trip to the tournament have received an unexpected consolation prize – brand new TVs.

Dozens of fans whose applications for US tourist visas were rejected lined up outside the company’s office in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, hoping to take advantage of a unique promotion launched just before the start of the World Cup, Reuters reported.

The initiative came from Argentinian conglomerate Newsan, which has promised to give away free televisions of its local electronics brand Noblex to fans who can prove their visa applications have been rejected.

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Many Argentina fans have missed out on attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to the rejection of their US tourist visa applications.

Newsan offered a promotion where the first 100 Argentinian fans who could provide proof of a US visa rejection received free television.

The television offering provided some comfort to fans who could not travel, allowing them to enjoy matches at home instead of in stadiums.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is seen as potentially Lionel Messi’s last World Cup, adding emotional significance to many Argentina fans who want to see him in action one more time.

The atmosphere for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is said to be more subdued in Argentina compared to the intense excitement ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, despite high expectations.

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The queue was forming before the Giveaway started

As part of the promotion, the first 100 people to arrive at the company’s Buenos Aires office with documentation proving they were denied a US visa between January and June of this year will receive a free TV.

The campaign quickly gained attention online and on the streets.

“Give us your rejected visa and get a free TV,” said the ad posted on Instagram.

For many fans, the prize money offered at least some consolation after seeing their plans to attend football’s biggest tournament fall apart.

World Cup dreams on hold

Among those who received a television was Tomáš Vageller, a 24-year-old professional video game player.

Like many Argentina supporters, he had hoped to travel to North America to see his national team compete on football’s biggest stage.

“I went to get my visa because we all think this will be Messi’s last World Cup,” he said.

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The possibility that this could be Lionel Messi’s final appearance at the World Cup has added emotional significance for many Argentina fans eager to see their captain in action.

However, this trip was not to be for Vageller.

“It’s very sad that I won’t be able to see it, but well, I’m leaving with a gift,” he added.

Different atmosphere of the World Cup in Argentina

Argentina enters the tournament as one of football’s most successful nations, having won the World Cup three times.

Still, observers say excitement around the 2026 edition seems more muted than it was before the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Many fans saw the 2022 World Cup as Argentina’s best chance to secure another title under Messi, making the atmosphere particularly intense ahead of the competition.

This year, while expectations remain high, the mood has been noticeably more subdued, even as the World Cup prepares to open in North America.

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A marketing campaign that grabbed attention

The TV gift card quickly became the talk of the town, combining football passion with an inventive marketing strategy.

The promotion provided a silver lining for fans who couldn’t secure the necessary travel papers: if they couldn’t watch the games from the stands of the stadium, they could at least enjoy them at home on the new TV.

As the World Cup kicks off, those lucky enough to benefit from the campaign can still cheer every goal and every Messi moment – just from their living rooms instead of the United States.