Argentina Facing FIFA Investigation Over Controversial Falklands Banner

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened an investigation into the Argentine Football Association for violating the agency’s rules against political demonstrations after its World Cup team unfurled a controversial banner claiming the Falkland Islands—a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic—"are Argentinian."

After Argentina secured a 2-1 win over England in the semifinals of the World Cup, the team’s players celebrated on the pitch and held up a banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” which translates to “Malvinas are Argentinian.”

Las Malvinas is the Spanish name for the South Atlantic archipelago known as the Falkland Islands, which is administered by the British but claimed by Argentina as a part of its sovereign territory.

Several Argentinian players, including Giovani Lo Celso, Lisandro Martínez and Nicolas Otamendi, were seen holding up the banner before laying it down face up on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium pitch.

The demonstration led to calls from British politicians, including then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for FIFA to investigate what rules may have been broken when Argentinian players unfurled the banner and the body on Wednesday said it would investigate "the display of inappropriate messages by the team and spectators."

At the same time, FIFA announced it was investigating three Argentinian players (Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada) and assistant coach Roberto Ayala for actions related to a skirmish between Argentinian and Spanish playes after the game (Spain midfielder Gavi is also being investigated).

If they're found guilty. The Argentina Football Association technically faces fines, reprimands, orders to implement corrective measures and restrictions related to future matches if wrongdoing is determined, though similar past cases have usually resulted in fines rather than sporting penalties. The players accused of assault could face match suspensions and fines if they're found guilty.

While they have many claimants to the archipelago over the last few centuries, it has remained under de facto British control since 1883, except for two months in 1982. A military force dispatched by Argentina’s military junta-led government seized control of the islands in April 1982. The Argentines argued that they have always maintained claims to the Islands and that the military action was simply a reclamation of their sovereign territory. The move triggered a military response from Britain, leading to the Falklands War. The conflict ended in June with an Argentine surrender and the British retaking control of the island. The war resulted in the deaths of 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British troops, and three civilians residing on the islands. Despite the military defeat, Argentina continues to maintain its claims on the islands, and in 1994, it amended its constitution to reflect this. The islands residents have held two sovereignty referendums since the war, one in 1986 and one 2013. In 1986, 96.45% voters backed British sovereignty and in 2013, 99.8% voted to keep it that way.

The Argentine banner may run afoul of FIFA’s stadium code of conduct for the 2026 World Cup, which states “any materials, including but not limited to banners, flags, fliers, apparel and other paraphernalia, that are of a political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature, containing wording, symbols or any other attributes aimed at discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group on account of race, skin colour, ethnicity, national or social origin, gender identity and expression, disability, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, birth, wealth or any other status, sexual orientation or on any other grounds.” Soccer’s top lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), also has clear rules prohibiting political messaging on the field. The rule states that players’ equipment, “must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images… For any offence the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association or by FIFA.”

In 2014, the Argentine Football Association was hit with a £20,000 ($27,000) fine by FIFA after its players posed in front of a banner with the same text, “Las Malvinas son Argentinas.” At the time, FIFA said the fine was a result of Argentina breaking its rules on “political action” and team misconduct.

In a post on X, Argentina’s vice-president Victoria Villarruel shared an old clip of what appeared to her country’s soldiers landing on the islands in 1982 and wrote: “it wasn’t just another match.” In a separate tweet, she added: “The Malvinas are Argentine! They banned us from bringing them to the stadium, but they forgot that we carry them in our blood and in our hearts.”