Members of the Argentina squad could face sanctions from FIFA following the defending champions’ 2-1 victory over England in Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final at Atlanta Stadium, which secured their place in the final of the 2026 tournament.
Contrary to FIFA regulations prohibiting political statements during its matches, multiple Argentina players celebrated the win against England on the pitch by holding a political banner, with the inscription ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ (The Falklands are Argentine).
The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean and have been the subject of a longstanding sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina for decades.
Between April and June 1982, the two countries went to war, resulting in hundreds of casualties on both sides over the group of islands located 300 miles off Argentina’s east coast.
The tension was, however, transferred to the pitch ahead of the match on Wednesday as politicians from both countries traded words, with Argentina’s Vice President Victoria Villarruel describing the English as “usurping pirates” over their occupation of the islands.
“We play against the usurping pirates. It’s not just another match. I’m not going to be politically correct or keep a cool head – it’s always something more against the English,” Villarruel wrote on X. “It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego (Maradona), it’s Leo’s (Messi) last run, and it’s about stopping the invaders in their tracks. Go Argentina! Because until our very last breath, we will keep claiming what is ours!.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted that Falkland Islanders are British and have the freedom to choose which side they want to associate with.
“The UK’s position is clear: the islanders have repeatedly expressed their wish to remain a British territory, and their right to self-determination is paramount. The Falkland Islanders are British with the right to determine their own future,” the spokesperson said.
FIFA does not have fixed sanctions for every political message. Instead, each case is accessed individually by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
The governing body fined the Argentine Football Association $20,000 after its players displayed a similar banner during a friendly match against Slovenia in 2014.