Argentina players wave banned political banner after World Cup win

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Argentina players wave banned political banner after World Cup win

Jesse Yomtov, USA TODAY

Wed, Jul 15, 2026 ·

3 min read

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Argentina players set off another controversy after the team's win over England in the World Cup semifinals by holding up a banner declaring "the Falklands are Argentine," a reference to the country's claim over the islands that remain a British Overseas Territory.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) and FIFA have specific rules against players participating in political messaging.

"Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images. Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer's logo," IFAB's rulebook states.

"For any offense the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organizer, national football association or by FIFA."

Anticipating tensions around the game due to the 1982 conflict fought between the two countries, Argentina's security minister Alejandra Monteoliva specifically said before the match that flags and banners referencing sovereignty of the territory would not be allowed into the stadium.

Giovani Lo Celso with the banner after Argentina's win.

"The entry of elements that have any type of provocative message, whether of political or racial content, is prohibited. They will not be able to enter flags or posters with that content," Monteoliva told Argentina radio.

FIFA's Stadium Code of Conduct bans "banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature" inside stadiums.

Argentina players Lisandro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso celebrated on the field with the banner, which read "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas." The archipelago is known in Argentina as the Malvinas.

Fans appeared to have thrown the banner onto the field for the players.

The Falklands conflict occurred after Argentina's military junta invaded the islands in 1982. The British fleet traveled across the Atlantic and retook the territory after a 74-day undeclared war that resulted in more than 900 deaths.

Argentina's vice president sounds off

On the eve of the match, Argentina Vice President Victoria Villarruel posted incendiary messages on social media regarding her feelings toward the English, saying she refuses to be "politically correct."

"Let's not be so lukewarm as to believe this is just about football, because while they limit it to football, they keep hanging around in our islands, they stick their noses in our sea, and they cross our territory without permission, they usurp our resources, and the whole world stays quiet about it," Villarruel wrote.

Argentina mounted a stunning win with two late goals, including one in stoppage time, to defeat England and reach their second straight World Cup final.

(Buda Mendes, Getty Images)

Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates with Argentina's forward #21 Jose Manuel Lopez after their team won the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match against England at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026.

(PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA, AFP via Getty Images)

Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates after the 2-1 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Buda Mendes, Getty Images)

Enzo Fernandez #24 of Argentina celebrates after the 2-1 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Shaun Botterill, Getty Images)

Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates the team's 2-1 victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Shaun Botterill, Getty Images)

Leandro Paredes #5 and Enzo Fernandez #24 of Argentina celebrate after the 2-1 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Shaun Botterill, Getty Images)

Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi and Argentina's forward #22 Lautaro Martinez celebrate after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match against England at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026.
(JEWEL SAMAD, AFP via Getty Images)

Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026.
(ROBERTO SCHMIDT, AFP via Getty Images)

Argentine fans celebrate at the end of the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026.
(THOMAS COEX, AFP via Getty Images)

Argentina's defender #06 Lisandro Martinez celebrates with teammates after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026.
(PAUL ELLIS, AFP via Getty Images)

Argentina's defender #06 Lisandro Martinez plays drums bearing a photo of Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi kissing the trophy as they celebrate after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026.
(PAUL ELLIS, AFP via Getty Images)

Not Argentina's first controversy

After winning the 2024 Copa America, Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez 's live stream from the team's bus featured players singing a chant mocking French players with African heritage . He later apologized for what his Chelsea teammate Wesley Fofana called "uninhibited racism."

The French Football Federation filed a legal complaint over the discriminatory chants.

Argentina's undersecretary of sports Julio Garro suggested in a radio interview that captain Lionel Messi should apologize for the incident that left "Argentina looking bad as a country" – then was promptly fired by Argentine president Javier Milei for making the suggestion.

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World Cup heartbreak hits England after semifinal loss

In a crushing blow, England’s shot at the World Cup final disappeared after Argentina’s relentless late comeback.

Harry Kane #9 of England reacts after the 1-2 loss during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.

(Justin Setterfield, Getty Images)