By Hassan Bahati

Argentina could face disciplinary action from FIFA after several players displayed a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”) following their 2-1 FIFA World Cup semi-final victory over England in Atlanta on Wednesday.

The banner, which refers to Argentina’s long-standing claim over the Falkland Islands, was held aloft by players during post-match celebrations on the pitch after the defending champions secured a place in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain. The Falkland Islands, known as the Malvinas in Argentina, remain a disputed British overseas territory and have been at the centre of a sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina for decades.

The display has sparked controversy because FIFA regulations prohibit political, religious and offensive messages at its competitions. The governing body’s stadium code of conduct bars players and supporters from displaying political slogans or banners during official tournaments.

British Business Secretary Peter Kyle condemned the incident, describing it as inappropriate and urging FIFA to investigate the matter. He said politics should not be mixed with football and called on the world governing body to enforce its rules consistently.

FIFA had not issued an official ruling on the incident by Thursday, although reports suggest Argentina could face disciplinary measures, including financial penalties, if the banner is deemed to have breached tournament regulations. Any decision would be made by FIFA’s disciplinary committee after reviewing the incident.

Argentina reached the World Cup final after coming from behind to defeat England 2-1, with late goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez overturning Anthony Gordon’s opener. The South American side will now face Spain in Sunday’s final, while England will meet France in the third-place playoff