Fireworks at 2026 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony were white, not blue
- Published on July 24, 2026 at 18:08
- 2 min read
- By Lucía DIAZ, AFP Spain
- Translation and adaptation Livia LIU, AFP Hong Kong, AFP USA
After Spain defeated Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, social media users fueled speculation about alleged FIFA favoritism with a video that appeared to show blue fireworks set off at the end of the tournament, claiming it was proof that the body had only prepared for the South Americans' victory. AFP photos and footage from media outlets all show that the fireworks were white, not blue.
"If the World Cup Final Was Not Rigged -- Why Were the Fireworks Already Set Up in Argentina's Colors?" says a July 20, 2026 post on Threads. "Their Plans Were Ruined by Spain. They Tried Every Way Possible."
The post contains a video originally published in on X, showing blue fireworks shooting out from a stadium while a Spanish flag was visible across the pitch.
The claim -- implying that the fireworks match the main colors of Argentina's flag -- feeds into the conspiracy theory that FIFA has repeatedly displayed favoritism toward the Argentine team and skipper Lionel Messi (archived here and here).
FIFA's refereeing chief previously responded that these were "unfounded allegations" (archived here).
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 on July 19, with Ferran Torres scoring the only goal of the game in extra time (archived here). After the match and trophy presentation, a fireworks display began, launched from the top of the New York-New Jersey Stadium.
Similar posts spread across platforms such as Facebook and Instagram -- and also circulated in Spanish, Chinese and other languages.
However, the fireworks were white, as seen in an AFP photo of the trophy ceremony after the match.
A reverse image search with keyframes of the video also led to footage published by German broadcaster Magenta TV that shows the fireworks from a similar angle, displaying white smoke instead of blue (archived here).
Footage from Sports TV -- a YouTube channel managed by Pakistani digital content distributor Dot Republic Media -- captured from outside the stadium also shows that the fireworks were white (archived here).
During the final match, various colors of fireworks were displayed: the colors of the rainbow were shown in the halftime show, and before the game began, the flags of Spain and Argentina appeared with pyrotechnics, but on the pitch and not above the stadium.
AFP reached out to FIFA, but no immediate response was forthcoming.
AFP has debunked other misinformation related to the 2026 World Cup.
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