A video lasting just a few seconds ended up triggering an international controversy during the 2026 World Cup.
The central figure is the famous American streamer IShowSpeed, who found himself in the middle of an exchange with Argentine fans during Argentina’s match against Cape Verde. After the footage spread, FIFA confirmed it had opened an investigation into an alleged incident of racism and discrimination.
The reason for the controversy is an audio clip that quickly went viral on social media. Some users claimed that the fans shouted a racist phrase at him that included the expression “black” and a reference to a zoo.
However, the recording also raised doubts among those who watched the video several times. Some maintain that the word clearly heard is “black”, but they question whether the second part of the phrase really matches what was widely circulated, suggesting that it could be a different expression.
The debate grew even more because of the meaning of certain words depending on the cultural context. In Argentina, “black” can be used in different ways in everyday language, although in other contexts and when directed at a Black person it can carry a completely different meaning, especially when accompanied by other offensive expressions.
Now it will be FIFA’s investigation that must determine what happened and whether there was punishable conduct. Meanwhile, social media remains divided: some believe the video shows a clear case of discrimination, while others are asking for the audio to be analyzed more precisely before drawing conclusions.
Watch the video here: