Argentina could face disciplinary action from FIFA after some of its players displayed a banner supporting the country's claim to the Falkland Islands following their World Cup semi-final victory over England.
The reigning world champions defeated England 2-1 in Atlanta on Wednesday to book a place in Sunday's World Cup final against Spain. Argentina came from behind with late goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez to secure the win.
After the match, several Argentine players held up a banner bearing the message, "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" ("The Falklands are Argentine"). The display has sparked controversy because FIFA regulations prohibit political messages at football events.
The Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as Las Malvinas, are a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic and remain at the centre of a decades-long sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The issue led to the 1982 Falklands War, which lasted 74 days and resulted in the deaths of 655 Argentine soldiers, 255 British servicemen and three islanders.
FIFA has previously sanctioned Argentina over a similar incident. In 2014, the Argentine Football Association was fined £20,000 after the national team displayed the same banner before an international friendly against Slovenia. FIFA ruled that the action breached its disciplinary rules on political statements and team misconduct.
The controversy intensified after Argentina's Vice President, Victoria Villarruel, commented on the victory on X, describing the match as more than just a football game. She shared a video that appeared to show Argentine soldiers and wrote that the Falkland Islands remain part of Argentina's national identity.
Before the semi-final, Villarruel had also described the encounter with England as an opportunity to "put the invaders in their place," drawing further attention to the political sensitivity surrounding the fixture.
Argentina's players had earlier faced scrutiny after their Round of 16 victory over Egypt, during which they reportedly sang chants referencing the Falkland Islands alongside tributes to football legends Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
Despite the political backdrop, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni urged that football should remain separate from historical and political disputes.
"The reality is that this is a football match. I can't mix things up, especially out of respect for what happened so many years ago," Scaloni said before the game.
"It was a very sad period in our history, and there isn't much we can do about it. We certainly remember those people, but it is a football match. We shouldn't confuse the two."
The Argentina-England semi-final was played under heightened security because of the historical tensions between both countries.
FIFA has yet to announce whether disciplinary proceedings will be opened over the banner displayed after the match.
