Fireworks Were NOT Blue After FIFA World Cup Final — Real Footage With Altered Colors
Did the fireworks at the World Cup finals have blue smoke, suggesting that the game had been rigged for Argentina, but Spain upset those plans? No, that's not true. A viral clip circulating on social media has been edited to change the color of the smoke from white to blue.
The altered footage appears in a post published by the X account @_Zaraquin on July 20, 2026. It was captioned:
"If FIFA world cup final was not rigged, why were the fireworks colors of Argentina? Their plans were ruined by Spain."
The unsteady 21-second video clip appears to have been filmed with a handheld camera pointing at a TV screen. In the upper right corner, a 'Fox+' logo appears alongside the word 'vivo' (Spanish for 'live'). The clip appears to have been filmed from a live broadcast or a recording of a live broadcast from the subscription streaming platform Fox One.
Lead Stories identified another copy of this aerial footage showing the fireworks over the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This was broadcast by Deutsche Telekom's TV platform MagentaTV and remains available for download. The Google translation of the German caption with the video says:
"Fireworks over MetLife Stadium following the trophy presentation at the 2026 World Cup final."
The same footage was presented by the two networks with slightly different cropping. Because of differences in network cropping and the handheld framing of the altered clip, less of the area surrounding the stadium is visible in the blue-tinted version, but this does not affect the color of the smoke. Lead Stories took two screenshots to compare the colors shown in the two clips.
The original footage shows white smoke illuminated by the evening sun and the flag of the World Cup champions, Spain, on the field. The colors shown in this re-recorded footage do not accurately depict the colors of the original footage. The smoke of the fireworks at this time, and throughout the MagentaTV clip, was white.
The altered clip has been shared widely on social media, leading to confusion and speculation about the integrity of the World Cup final. This misinformation has sparked a heated debate online, with some users claiming that the blue smoke was evidence of a rigged game.
However, the evidence suggests that the altered clip is a clear example of manipulated footage. The original footage, broadcast by reputable networks, shows white smoke, and the differences in cropping and framing between the two versions do not affect the color of the smoke.
The incident highlights the importance of verifying information before sharing it online. With the rise of social media, misinformation can spread quickly, and it's essential to be critical of the sources we rely on.
The World Cup final was a closely watched event, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch the match. The controversy surrounding the altered clip serves as a reminder of the need for fact-checking and media literacy in the digital age.
Source: Yahoo Sports