The White House has announced it will not back any move to ban Argentina players from the World Cup final after they celebrated their semi-final victory over England with a banner referencing the Falkland Islands. The banner, which translated to "The Falklands are Argentine," was displayed by players following Argentina's 2-1 win, sparking calls for disciplinary action from the UK government.
FIFA investigation underway
FIFA confirmed it is "assessing the match reports" before deciding on any disciplinary measures. Flags with messages relating to the Falkland Islands had been banned from the stadium before the match. The UK government called for an investigation, with a spokesperson stating: "The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are. Our position is unchanged. Self-determination rests with the islanders and our commitment to the Falklands will never waver."
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey wrote an open letter to FIFA, calling for the players who held the flag to be suspended for Sunday's final against Spain. However, the White House has taken a different stance.
White House stance
According to Sky News, officials from President Donald Trump's team have dismissed calls from the UK government to take action against the players. Andrew Giuliani, Trump's World Cup chief and son of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, argued that Argentina players were exercising their right to freedom of expression, citing the First Amendment of the US Constitution. However, this does not exempt them from potential sanctions under FIFA rules.
Previous incidents
This is not the first time Argentina has referenced the Falkland Islands during the tournament. Players sang chants referring to the British overseas territory after their 3-2 win over Egypt in the round of 16. FIFA has previously sanctioned Argentina for similar political declarations: in 2014, the nation's football association was fined £20,000 after players displayed a comparable banner ahead of a friendly against Slovenia.
In a related incident, Spanish players Alvaro Morata and Rodri were banned for one game by FIFA after they chanted "Gibraltar is Spanish" during their Euro 2024 celebrations.
