Argentina could face disciplinary measures from FIFA after several of its players displayed a banner supporting the country’s claim to the Falkland Islands following their World Cup semifinal victory over England.
The defending champions came from behind to defeat England 2-1 in Atlanta, securing a place in Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain.
Following the final whistle, members of the Argentina squad celebrated with a banner bearing the message “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” meaning “The Falklands are Argentine.”
The Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, have long been at the centre of a sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina. The disagreement led to the 1982 Falklands War, a conflict that claimed the lives of hundreds of British and Argentine service personnel.
FIFA has previously taken action over similar incidents. In 2014, the Argentine Football Association was fined after players displayed the same message before an international friendly, with the governing body citing breaches of regulations prohibiting political demonstrations during football events.
The latest display has sparked fresh criticism. Argentina’s Vice President, Victoria Villarruel, defended the gesture on social media, saying the issue extends beyond football and reaffirming her country’s claim to the islands.
Meanwhile, UK Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle described the banner as inappropriate and said he expects FIFA to investigate whether the celebration violated the organisation’s rules against political messages during matches.
Despite the controversy, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni had stated before the semifinal that football should remain separate from political matters, stressing that the match should be treated purely as a sporting contest.
The semifinal, which saw Argentina overturn a one-goal deficit through late strikes from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez, was played under heightened security because of the historic tensions between both nations.
