FIFA is is considering a punishment against Argentina after their players held up a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine) following their 2-1 win over England in Atlanta.
In a statement, football’s governing body said its independent disciplinary committee was “assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps based on the FIFA disciplinary code.”
The banner prompted a swift response from the British government. Business Minister Peter Kyle called it an “egregious violation” of FIFA rules prohibiting political symbols on the field of play, with Downing Street backing his call for FIFA to investigate.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said the World Cup may not belong to Britain, but the Falkland Islands do.
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The Falklands, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, were invaded by Argentina in 1982 before Britain retook the islands in a brief war.
Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the territory, and Argentina’s football association was previously fined £20,000 by FIFA in 2014 for a similar gesture before a friendly against Slovenia.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei defended the players’ display, calling it “perfectly valid and legitimate” and describing the sentiment as one shared across the country, adding that Argentina intends to pursue the islands’ return through diplomatic means.
Argentina’s Vice President Victoria Villarruel had already raised tensions before kickoff, referring to England as “usurping pirates.”
The dispute extended beyond the banner itself, with Argentina’s Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno confirming a formal protest had been filed over the passage of British warship HMS Medway through Argentine territorial waters, calling it “unconsulted and illegal.”
– AFP
Photo: REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
