Argentina vs England Semi-Final: FIFA May Take Disciplinary Action Over Falklands Banner

The defending football world cup champions, Argentina registered a come-from-behind win against England in a quite dramatic fashion. The jam packed Atlanta stadium saw some stunning football this world cup has seen and Argentina booked their place in finals on Sunday against Spain.

With the 2-1 defeat, Thomas Tuchel’s men once again finished behind Argentina and missed their chance of making history by going into the final in six decades. While the match was tense, drama began after the final whistle was blown.

The Argentine players celebrated the win holding a banner that read, “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” which literally translates to "The Falklands are Argentine.” The Falklands is a British overseas territory in the south-west part of the Atlantic Ocean, and it remains the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the two countries.

Back in the UK, Downing Street called for FIFA to investigate the incident, and the UK’s Prime MInister’s official said, “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falklands Islands definitely are. Our commitment to the Falklands will never waver.”

What Action Could FIFA Take?

Back in 2014, FIFA had fined the Argentine Football Association £20,000 after a few players held the banner with the same message prior to the start of their friendly tie against Slovenia. The Football’s apex governing body said the gesture by Argentine players is a clear violation of rules on political action and team misconduct.

FIFA takes disciplinary action for all general rule breaches by players or a country’s supporters in the weeks after the conclusion of the tournament, so it would be a surprise if any action is initiated in the next few days.

The governing body of football could potentially treat this as a serious matter since it happened during a World Cup match between the two countries. However, there is no prospect of Argentina losing their spot in the finals.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called for the suspension of the Argentine players who were seen holding the banner from the final match against Spain. He even wrote an open letter addressed to the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, Davey referenced when the European Football’s governing body, UEFA banned Spanish players, Alvaro Morata for one game after they chanted ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’ during their team’s Euro 2024 victory celebrations.

Speaking after the game, Argentine midfielder Leandro Pardes said, “the Falklands War as a sad part of our history.” And this game ‘wasn't just a football match,’ he further added. The vice-president of Argentina Victoria Villarruel posted on X after the victory that “it wasn’t just another match” along with a video of what seemed to Argentine soldiers.

The UK Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said, any action taken against Argentina team players is entirely a matter of FIFA. She added, The PM wishes both teams well for the the finals, especially Spain.