FIFA has confirmed it will not take action against the Argentina squad over their Falklands-related chanting in the dressing room after their 3-2 round of 16 victory against Egypt. The defending World Cup holders were heard singing the anthem 'Muchachos,' which makes reference to the remote self-governing British overseas territory. The chants came 44 years after the Falklands War, which claimed the lives of 907 people between April 2 and June 14, 1982.
Potential Semi-Final Showdown
Should England defeat Norway on Saturday evening and Argentina overcome Switzerland in the early hours of Sunday morning, the two fierce rivals will meet in the semi-finals. The Falklands conflict and the subsequent chanting look set to cast a shadow over any potential showdown.
Despite seemingly violating FIFA's stringent regulations on political expression within stadium grounds, world football's governing body will not sanction the South Americans, according to the Daily Mail. The song being sung by the Argentines contains the line: "I am Argentine from cradle to grave, for the Malvinas, for Diego (Maradona), for Leo's (Messi) final chapter," as well as saying: "I was born in Argentina, land of Diego and Lionel, and of the Malvinas lads whom I'll never forget."
FIFA's Inconsistent Enforcement
Argentinians refer to the Falkland Islands as 'Las Malvinas,' and the inclusion of the nation of roughly 3,700 people serves as a direct nod to the conflict. Nevertheless, FIFA will not discipline the side, despite their firm stance against political chanting, slogans, and banners within tournament venues. Ahead of the World Cup fixture, FIFA issued warnings regarding flags "that are of a political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature." An England flag featuring a silhouette of a soldier was confiscated, while officials also seized a flag belonging to supporters from Barrow, which depicted a submarine. This was by no means a reference to the British armed forces, as Barrow is renowned for its submarine manufacturing heritage.
The move to remove England flags on grounds of political messaging, while leaving Argentine supporters unpunished, has prompted widespread accusations of inconsistency in FIFA's enforcement of their own regulations. Express Football have reached out to FIFA for a comment.
Controversial FIFA Decisions
The governing body has also shown just how willing they are to exercise their authority in other matters during the tournament. They controversially intervened to suspend Folarin Balogun's one-game ban for a year, allowing him to feature in the USA's match against Belgium, after President Donald Trump contacted Gianni Infantino by telephone. FIFA maintained that an independent disciplinary panel had reached the ruling, yet Infantino's conspicuous courting of Trump in the lead-up to the competition has left many deeply sceptical of the organisation's account of events.
