An Argentine broadcaster loses her job because of Messi’s father

The news of the death of Messi’s father, which was announced live by Argentine TV presenter Florencia Peña during the match between Argentina and Algeria in the 2026 World Cup, sparked a wide wave of interaction on social media, before the player’s family later published an explanation that he was not healthy, and the broadcaster stepped down from her job, according to the BBC.
Peña said during the “El Show del Verano” program on the “Luzo TV” channel, without verifying the news: “I do not want to convey bad news, but Messi’s father has just died,” adding that the player will have to leave the World Cup because of that.
But it soon became clear that the news was incorrect, as Messi’s family issued an official statement confirming that Jorge Messi is alive, but that he is suffering from a health problem and is receiving medical care, and that his condition is gradually improving.
The broadcaster was then forced to submit her resignation, as she decided to withdraw from the program and stop her media participation after the incident, stressing her deep regret for what happened.
Meanwhile, the family of the Argentine player expressed its strong dissatisfaction with what it described as the “lack of responsibility and accuracy” in dealing with sensitive news, noting that what was circulated caused unjustified psychological harm.