Argentina Could Be Punished by FIFA Over This Banner

Argentina made it to the World Cup final, but it may also be facing disciplinary action from FIFA, the BBC reports. After a 2-1 comeback win over England in Atlanta, Argentina's players celebrated with a banner declaring "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" ("The Falklands are Argentine"), prompting a possible investigation by world football's governing body, which bars political messages. Sanctions are a possible punishment, ESPN reports.

The Falkland Islands, a British territory claimed by Argentina and the focus of a 1982 war, have long been a flashpoint. FIFA previously fined Argentina's federation in 2014 for a similar banner. The latest display came as Argentina's vice president framed the semi-final as more than "just another match" and praised the gesture on X. "The Falklands are Argentine," he posted. "They banned bringing them to the stadium and forgot that we carry them in our blood and our hearts." Manager Lionel Scaloni had publicly urged keeping politics out of the match, but the Guardian reports that some Argentina players could be heard chanting "For the Malvinas" after beating Switzerland in the quarter-final, thus setting up their match with England.