The Argentine Football Association's partner in $ARG Fan Token has accused intermediaries linked to the AFA of diverting millions of dollars intended for Argentine football, escalating a scandal that now threatens the federation’s leadership and its commercial credibility ahead of the 2026 World Cup cycle.
Socios Halts AFA Payments as Argentine Sponsor Funds Scandal Deepens
13 January 2026 - 12:58 CET
By Matt Neill
Alexandre Dreyfus, the CEO of Socios.com, said in a statement on X the blockchain-based fan engagement platform had officially halted payments to intermediaries associated with the AFA and called for the resignation of AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia.
Tapia has dismissed the concerns as unfounded media speculation. The AFA has also rejected the allegations, issuing a statement on 12 Jan saying it had transferred charitable and sponsorship funds “in full and on time”, and describing the claims circulating in the media as false and defamatory.
Dreyfus said Socios had paid more than $9mn since 2021 under its sponsorship agreement, but "reporting and investigations" suggest less than $500,000 reached the AFA directly.
"Transparency in football is non-negotiable," Dreyfus said. If the figures are true, "it is absolutely disgusting. We refuse to continue funding offshore entities that have provided zero services to us."
Allegations of diverted sponsorship funds
Socios has demanded a full audit and requested that any future payments be made strictly and directly to the AFA, without intermediaries. Dreyfus also urged other major AFA sponsors, including Adidas, American Express and Coca-Cola, to take collective action.
According to reporting by Argentine newspaper La Nacion, Socios is the first major sponsor to take concrete financial action in response to the unfolding scandal.
Socios reportedly raised concerns as early as 2022 about the use of third-party entities, including firms registered in Florida, Delaware, Guernsey and Spain, which it says never provided services, negotiated contracts or originated the sponsorship deals.
Socios claims it repeatedly asked the AFA to identify the ultimate beneficiaries of these intermediaries, but received no response.
Fan token pioneers
Socios.com, which is operated by Mediarex and powered by the Chiliz blockchain, joined forces with the AFA in 2021 to launch the $ARG token as a way to bring fans closer to the Argentina national team through digital engagement and exclusive experiences.
The token enables holders to access Web3 utilities such as VIP matchday experiences, merchandise rewards and voting in official non-management polls, while driving new digital revenue streams for the association.
The initiative made Argentina one of the earliest national teams to adopt fan tokens, part of Socios.com’s broader strategy of working with over 150 sports organisations globally to monetise fan loyalty and engagement through blockchain-based digital assets.
