Malvinas banner could land Argentina in trouble with FIFA, why 🤔 | OneFootball

Argentina’s national team celebrated wildly the dramatic 2–1 comeback win over England in the semifinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

After the final whistle, the players took a banner from the stands and spread it out on the pitch with the phrase: "The Malvinas are Argentine."

The demonstration, however, runs up against FIFA’s strict rules against political messages in football.

What do the regulations say?

FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, in Article 17 (paragraph two), holds federations responsible for the use of political, ideological, religious, or offensive messages.

The range of possible punishments for the Argentine Football Association (AFA) includes:

The financial hit

For a first offense involving this type of banner, the fine ranges from R$31,000 (minor cases) to R$62,000 (serious cases).

The amounts increase by 100% with each repeat offense.

Disrespect toward the English anthem

The stands could also cause a headache.

Before kickoff, the South American fans drowned out the English anthem by chanting, "If you don’t jump, you’re English."

FIFA provides specific punishments for disturbances during anthems, with fines ranging from R$31,000 to R$47,000 starting from the very first occurrence.

United Kingdom condemns banner

The UK Government asked FIFA to investigate Argentina over the Malvinas banner at the World Cup.

"The World Cup may not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are," a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said this Thursday (15). "Self-determination belongs to the islanders, and our commitment to the Falklands will never waver," the spokesperson said.

"Starmer backed calls for FIFA to investigate, the spokesperson said, after UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle stated that the players’ behavior was 'totally inappropriate'."

"FIFA can take action against the players and Argentina’s football federation because its disciplinary code bans in stadiums any 'message that is not appropriate for a sporting event,' including those of a 'political, ideological, religious, or offensive nature.'"

The statements were published by Bloomberg.

So, folks, do you think this could result in some punishment for Argentina? Leave your opinion in the comments!

Historical Context

The rivalry between Argentina and England goes beyond the pitch.

The Argentine protest with the banner "The Malvinas are Argentine" has once again drawn global attention to a centuries-old territorial dispute that culminated in a war in 1982.

Geographically, the islands are just 550 kilometers from Argentina’s coast, but 12,800 kilometers from Great Britain.

However, the two countries view the territory in completely different ways (even down to the name of the capital: Puerto Argentino for South Americans and Stanley for the British).

The current situation

The islands, called the Falkland Islands by the British, are a British Overseas Territory.

They have their own local government, but London is responsible for defense and part of foreign relations.

Argentina, however, rejects British administration, arguing that the archipelago has been under illegal occupation since 1833.

The country claims to have inherited rights over the territory from Spain after its independence in 1816.

What do the UN and the local population say?

The international community treats the matter as an unresolved diplomatic issue:

The UN’s position: The United Nations does not declare who the islands belong to. Since 1965, it has formally recognized that there is a sovereignty dispute and has called for a peaceful resolution between the two countries.

The will of the residents: In 2013, a referendum asked islanders whether they wanted to remain a British territory. The result was overwhelming: 99.8% said "yes" (only 3 people voted against it). The United Kingdom uses this as proof of the people’s right to self-determination. Argentina, meanwhile, rejects the validity of the referendum, claiming that the current population was "implanted" by British colonizers.

The Falklands War (1982)

The diplomatic dispute turned into armed conflict on April 2, 1982.

The Beginning: Argentina’s military dictatorship at the time, led by General Leopoldo Galtieri, invaded and occupied the islands in an attempt to reclaim sovereignty over them.

The Response: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher reacted by sending a massive military task force to the South Atlantic.

The Outcome and the Victims: After 74 days of intense land, naval, and air combat, the Argentines surrendered on June 14, 1982. The war left 907 dead in total (649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British personnel, and 3 local civilians).

Political Consequences: The defeat accelerated the end of the military dictatorship in Argentina. On the other hand, the victory secured the reelection and strengthening of Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom.

Football in the middle of the conflict

During the war, anti-British sentiment in Argentina was so strong that English schools were vandalized and streets were renamed.

Centuries-old clubs, founded in the late 19th century under the influence of British engineers and workers employed on Argentina’s railways, however, kept their English names.

This is the case for giant teams such as River Plate, Boca Juniors, Racing Club, and Newell's Old Boys.

On the field, however, the resentment became fuel.

Four years after the war, in 1986, Diego Maradona made history by knocking England out of the World Cup with two iconic goals (including the famous "Hand of God").

Forty years later, in 2026, Argentina repeated the victory over the English in a World Cup, reviving the memory of the Malvinas on the biggest stage in sports.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 PAUL ELLIS - AFP or licensors