Messi at the Center of World Cup Referee Controversy and Favoritism - Kompas.id

Theory Briefing

• A conspiracy theory surfaced at the very start of the 2026 World Cup alleging Messi's route to the final was suspiciously easy.
• The core claim is that bracket manipulation — not merit — cleared the path for the world's most marketable player.
• Referee decisions are at the heart of the controversy, with favoritism alleged rather than mere scheduling luck.
• The theory taps into a long-running tension between football's commercial interests and the integrity of its biggest tournament.