The name of Javier Faroni began to find strong resonance in the world of Argentine football As journalistic investigations into the company’s commercial revenue management progressed, Argentine Football Association (AFA). Until a few years ago, his character was almost exclusively associated with the theatrical environment and spectacle. Today, however, his profile was linked to some of the most sensitive business surrounding the world champion team.
Javier Faroni, from theater producer to football entrepreneur
Faroni built his career as a theater producer and was heavily featured in the summer seasons of Mar del Plata and on the billboards of Buenos Aires.. In addition, he had a political career: he was a deputy of the Frente Renovador in Buenos Aires, the organization led by Sergio Massa, and during the government of Alberto Fernández he was a member of the board of Aerolíneas Argentinas.
His relationship with AFA President Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia is not new. In January 2023, Tapia surprised the audience by entering the stage of the theater where the Faroni-produced play “Divorce” was being performed, with the World Cup in Qatar 2022. The episode was celebrated as a celebratory postcard, but over time it took on a different meaning: the producer himself had invited the head of the AFA, with whom he maintained a personal relationship.
Months after this episode, the AFA announced a crucial change: the company Deportick became the new official ticket holder of the Argentine team and was responsible for marketing tickets to see Lionel Messi and the World Cup winner live.
Deportick, the national team ticket holder
Deportick is not a foreign brand in Faroni’s universe. According to La Nación’s journalistic research, it is a fantasy name registered by the company Mastea 123 SA, a company founded in 2018 by Faroni himself, together with his partner Érica Gillette and his sister Marcela Viviana Faroni. In 2021, the company changed its corporate name, but control remained in the hands of the same family group.
Even the web domain deportick.com.ar is registered in the name of the producer’s sister. Before entering the national team business, the ticket company had already worked with clubs such as Tigre and Temperley and provided services at certain events for Conmebol and the Professional League. However, The leap was significant: from operating at the local level to taking over the management of one of the most valuable assets in Argentine football.
The AFA explained that Deportick’s choice was due to an economic proposal that was considered more favorable than that of other competitors. But the research shows that the business network goes far beyond ticket sales.
The company in the United States and the millions at stake
A year before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the AFA Executive Committee approved a contract with TourProdEnter LLC, a Florida-based company headed by Erica Gillette. By direct decision of the AFA leadership, the company was appointed “Exclusive Foreign Sales Representative”.
In effect, this means that any sponsorship, sponsorship or commercial exploitation agreement of the AFA brand and its teams outside the country had to be channeled through this structure. According to the organization’s official bulletin, TourProdEnter also manages events, logistics and international promotion.
The journalistic investigation found that the company transferred more than $260 million to US bank accounts between 2022 and 2025. At the same time, in the official balance sheets submitted by the AFA to the Inspectorate General of Justice, TourProdEnter appears as the organization’s main debtor, with a debt of more than $13,000 million.
International expansion and legal orientation
Faroni’s name reappeared on international football’s radar in August 2024 when he acquired 80% of Perugia Calcio, a historic Italian club currently playing in Serie C. His landing in Europe, with no experience in sports management, added another chapter to a business expansion that was as rapid as it was impressive.
In recent weeks she even received a sanction in Italy for failing to comply with the requirement of the sports authorities to form a women’s football team.
The journey of Javier Faroni shows how a theater producer with political and personal connections managed to position himself at the heart of the Argentine football business. In the current legal context of the AFA, its name seems to be linked to commercial decisions that are now being analyzed with a magnifying glass by the judiciary and control authorities.
About The Author
