White House sends clear message on Argentina stars' Falklands World Cup banner

Дата публикации: 17-07-2026 20:19:50

There are calls for Argentina players to be banned for the World Cup final after displaying the banner.

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There are calls for Argentina players to be banned for the World Cup final after displaying the banner.

The White House will reportedly support Argentina players who displayed a banner referencing the Falkland Islands amid calls for them to be banned from the World Cup final. The US government will point to the First Amendment right to the freedom of expression - though that won't necessarily help any players escape punishment from FIFA.

Football's governing body have strict rules against political messaging within stadiums. It was confirmed ahead of the match against England that banners or flags with any reference to the Falklands would be banned inside the stadium.

However, following the late 2-1 win over the Three Lions, Argentine players were thrown the banner from the stands and proceeded to celebrate with it in front of their fans. It has led to both the UK government and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey demanding bans for the players in an open letter to FIFA.

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But it seems that Donald Trump's US government are taking a different stance.

According to Sky News, the White House would not support any Argentina players being banned from Sunday's final at the MetLife Stadium. Officials from President Donald Trump's team are reported to have rejected calls from the UK government to sanction the players involved.

Notably, Trump's World Cup chief, Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, has firmly maintained that Argentina were merely exercising their freedom of expression, citing the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

After the banner, which was primarily displayed by Tottenham defender Cristian Romero and Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, was brought to Keir Starmer's attention, a spokesperson for the outgoing prime minister said: "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. More broadly, potential action is a matter for Fifa, but it's been a fantastic World Cup and we've said throughout that politics should stay out of football."

FIFA has a track record of sanctioning Argentina for political statements relating to the Falklands. In 2014, the organisation fined the country's football association £20,000 after their players displayed a similar banner before a friendly against Slovenia.

FIFA has also confirmed it is reviewing potential disciplinary action against Argentina for the incident, which occurred immediately following the final whistle.

A FIFA spokesperson said: "As is standard procedure, FIFA's independent Disciplinary Committee is currently assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps based on the FIFA Disciplinary Code."

It's not the first time that a mention of the British overseas territory has been part of Argentina's celebrations this World Cup. Following their dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt at the Round of 16 stage, the squad were filmed singing a chant that referenced the Falklands as well as Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

FIFA have sent a precedent for punishments by handing Spain duo Alvaro Morata and Rodri a one-match ban after they chanted "Gibraltar is Spanish" during their celebrations after beating England in the Euro 2024 final.

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