FIFA threatens sanction as Argentina brandishes Falklands banner

Argentina risked FIFA disciplinary action after its players unfurled a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” – “the Falkland Islands are Argentine” – to celebrate their World Cup semi‑final victory over England, a political statement that breaches the governing body’s regulations. The banner displayed the exact phrase “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, translated as “the Falkland Islands are Argentine”. Argentina’s squad raised the banner immediately after beating England in the World Cup semi‑final, using the message to mark the win. FIFA warned that such a banner contravenes its rules on political expressions and therefore places Argentina at risk of disciplinary measures.

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The Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean and remain the subject of a sovereignty dispute between Great Britain and Argentina. In 1982 England and Argentina fought a 74‑day war over the islands, located about 480 kilometres from the Argentine coast, resulting in 649 Argentine and 255 British soldiers killed, plus three islanders. When asked about the banner, Argentine international Leandro Paredes said, “And they will always be Argentine.” He added that the team was aware of the match’s significance for the country and wanted to represent those who lived through that sad moment.

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FIFA previously fined the Argentine Football Association more than €20,000 in 2014 after players displayed a similar banner before a friendly against Slovenia. Before the semi‑final, coach Lionel Scaloni stressed that the Falklands war is a wound from the past and that the match was simply a football game. Argentine vice‑president Victoria Villarruel later posted on X, “No era un partido más!” and attached a video from the war era showing Argentine soldiers.