National

Denied a US visa to watch the World Cup? Have a free TV, says Argentine company

By Horacio Fernando Soria and Candelaria Grimberg Reuters
People pose with television sets they received for free after showing their U.S. visa denials during a promotion by television manufacturer Noblex for people unable to travel to the World Cup due to visa rejections, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2026. The stickers on the television boxes read "visa denied" and "TV Noblex approved". REUTERS/ Tomas Cuesta
People pose with television sets they received for free after showing their U.S. visa denials during a promotion by television manufacturer Noblex for people unable to travel to the World Cup due to visa rejections, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2026. The stickers on the television boxes read "visa denied" and "TV Noblex approved". REUTERS/ Tomas Cuesta Tomas Cuesta Reuters

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BUENOS AIRES - Dozens of Argentines who were denied visas to travel to the United States to see the World Cup will at least have a new free television to watch the games.

Argentine conglomerate Newsan promised to give out local brand Noblex televisions to the first 100 people who lined up on Wednesday outside its Buenos Aires office with paperwork in hand showing they had been denied a visa between January and June of this year to visit the United States.

"Give us your denied visa and take a free TV," an advertisement on Instagram said.

One of the lucky winners was Tomas Vageller, a 24-year-old professional videogame player.

"I went to get a visa because we all think it will be Messi's last World Cup," he said. "It's very sad I won't be able to see it, but well, I'm leaving with a gift."

In three-time World Cup winner ​Argentina, soccer fever has been unusually tempered days before the 2026 World Cup kicks off in North America - much less feverish than in 2022, which many saw as Argentina's last hope to win the tournament under Lionel Messi's leadership.

(Reporting by Leila Miller and Horacio Fernando Soria, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

People line up to show their U.S. visa denial to receive free television sets during a promotion by television manufacturer Noblex for people unable to travel to the World Cup due to visa rejections, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2026. REUTERS/ Tomas Cuesta
People line up to show their U.S. visa denial to receive free television sets during a promotion by television manufacturer Noblex for people unable to travel to the World Cup due to visa rejections, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2026. REUTERS/ Tomas Cuesta Tomas Cuesta Reuters
A woman carries a television set she received for free after showing her U.S. visa denial during a promotion by television manufacturer Noblex for people unable to travel to the World Cup due to visa rejections, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2026. The stickers on the television box read "visa denied" and "TV Noblex approved". REUTERS/ Tomas Cuesta
A woman carries a television set she received for free after showing her U.S. visa denial during a promotion by television manufacturer Noblex for people unable to travel to the World Cup due to visa rejections, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2026. The stickers on the television box read "visa denied" and "TV Noblex approved". REUTERS/ Tomas Cuesta Tomas Cuesta Reuters

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 1:42 AM.

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