Argentina players risk sanctions after celebrating World Cup win over England with Falkland Islands banner
Argentina's national football team faces potential FIFA sanctions after players displayed a banner claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands following a match against England. The incident has drawn condemnation from the UK government, which insists that politics should remain separate from international sports.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Argentina and the UK and tests FIFA's ability to enforce its strict neutrality policies regarding political messaging.
Argentina could find themselves in hot water with FIFA ahead of the World Cup final after celebrating their win over England with a banner about the Falkland Islands. Lionel Messi’s 2022 champions struck two late goals to overcome England in a semi-final clash charged by both football and political history. And it was the latter that returned to the spotlight when Argentina players waved a homemade sign seemingly plucked out of the stands in Atlanta on Wednesday night (Thursday AEST). The black-on-white spray-painted banner read ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ — or ‘The Falklands are Argentine’. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi, who previously played in England with Tottenham and Manchester City respectively, waved the sign then placed it on the turf as the players celebrated with their fans inside the stadium. Political messages are explicitly banned by FIFA.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in