ATLANTA – Argentina could face disciplinary action from FIFA after some of the team’s players displayed a political banner during celebrations following their 2-1 victory over England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final.
The defending champions booked their place in a second consecutive World Cup final with the win over England.
However, the post-match celebrations have come under scrutiny after several Argentine players were seen holding a banner bearing the message, “The Falkland Islands are Argentine,” referring to the disputed South Atlantic territory known in Argentina as the Malvinas.
The banner was displayed on the pitch after the final whistle and was later left at the venue.
FIFA regulations prohibit political messages or demonstrations during official competitions. If the world football governing body determines that the banner constituted a political statement, the Argentine Football Association could face disciplinary proceedings, including a possible fine.
Argentina has previously been sanctioned over a similar incident. In 2014, FIFA fined the Argentine Football Association after players displayed the same message before an international friendly against Slovenia.
Ahead of the semi-final, Argentina’s head coach had said he hoped the match against England would not be overshadowed by the long-running Falkland Islands dispute. However, the banner displayed during the victory celebrations has once again drawn international attention to the issue.
The Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, remain the subject of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The two countries fought a brief but deadly war over the islands in 1982, after which British forces retained control of the territory.
FIFA has not yet announced whether it will launch formal disciplinary proceedings against Argentina over the incident.
