Presenter quits after falsely announcing Lionel Messi’s father dead

An Argentine television presenter has resigned after wrongly reporting that Lionel Messi’s father had died during coverage of the 2026 Fifa World Cup. The on-air error prompted a family response confirming Jorge Messi is alive and receiving medical treatment.

What happened on air

The incident occurred on the programme El Show del Verano shortly after Argentina’s opening group-stage victory, a 3-0 win over Algeria in which Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick. During the broadcast, presenter Florencia Peña announced that Messi’s father had died, saying:

“I don’t want to bring bad news, but Messi’s father has just passed away. It was sudden. In the middle of the World Cup.”

Clips of the broadcast spread quickly across social media, driving rapid confusion and speculation.

Family response and clarification

The Messi family issued a statement to stop the misinformation, saying Jorge Messi, who is 68, is alive and currently receiving medical treatment. The family said he remains under professional medical supervision and is recovering. They criticised the spread of unverified reports and asked for privacy, urging the focus remain on Jorge’s health rather than speculation.

Presenter apology and resignation

Florencia Peña apologised on social media and announced she had stepped down from her role at Luzu TV. In her posts she apologised to the Messi family, writing:

“I apologise to the Messi family. I am deeply ashamed to have been involved in this mistake.”

Peña said the false information had been presented to her during the live broadcast as verified by the show’s production team:

“I have to clarify that this false information was given to me live on air as if it had been checked by the show’s production team, and I trusted it.”

She nonetheless accepted responsibility for repeating the claim, adding:

“Even so, I take responsibility for being part of the mistake, and that is why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu. I apologise again from the heart. I was wrong.”

Aftermath

The false report overshadowed Argentina’s strong start to the tournament and prompted a swift public correction from the family. Beyond Peña’s resignation and the family’s statement about Jorge’s condition and recovery, no further details were provided in the available reporting.