Watch: Argentina fans who missed out on US Visas receive free TVs for FIFA World Cup 2026

As football fever builds ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a group of Argentine fans who missed out on travelling to the tournament received an unexpected consolation prize — brand-new televisions.

Dozens of supporters whose applications for US tourist visas were rejected lined up outside a company 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 Argentine conglomerate Newsan, which promised to give away free televisions from its local electronics brand, Noblex, to fans who could prove that their visa applications had been denied.

A Queue Formed Before The Giveaway Began

Under the promotion, the first 100 people to arrive at the company's Buenos Aires office with documentation showing they had been denied a US visa between January and June this year would receive a television free of charge.

The campaign quickly attracted attention online and on the streets.

"Give us your denied visa and take a free TV," an advertisement posted on Instagram declared.

For many fans, the giveaway offered at least some comfort after seeing their plans to attend football's biggest tournament fall apart.

World Cup Dreams Put On Hold

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

Like many Argentine supporters, he had hoped to travel to North America to watch his national team compete on football's grandest stage.

"I went to get a visa because we all think it will be Messi's last World Cup," he said.

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

For Vageller, however, the trip was not meant to be.

"It's very sad I won't be able to see it, but well, I'm leaving with a gift," he added.

A Different World Cup Atmosphere In Argentina

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

Yet, according to observers, excitement surrounding the 2026 edition appears more subdued than it was ahead of the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Many supporters viewed the 2022 World Cup as Argentina's best chance to secure another title under Messi's leadership, making the atmosphere before that competition particularly intense.

This year, while anticipation remains high, the mood has been noticeably more restrained, even as the World Cup prepares to kick off across North America.

A Marketing Campaign That Caught Attention

The television giveaway quickly became a talking point, blending football passion with an inventive marketing strategy.

For fans unable to secure the paperwork needed to travel, the promotion provided a silver lining: if they could not watch the matches from the stadium stands, they could at least enjoy them on a new television at home.

As the World Cup gets underway, those lucky enough to benefit from the campaign may still be cheering every goal and every Messi moment — just from their living rooms instead of the United States.