The White House has defended the Argentinian football team’s right to free speech after they waved a banner supporting their country’s territorial claim to the Falkland Islands during celebrations following their 2-1 World Cup semi-final victory over England in Atlanta. The banner, which read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” – “The Falklands are Argentine” – was held up by several players after Wednesday’s match, triggering a political row that has drawn in Downing Street, Fifa and now the United States.
Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Fifa task force, told reporters on Friday that Argentina’s players had the “opportunity and ability to make those statements” in the US, adding: “We believe in our First Amendment rights here in the United States of America.” His comments risk further inflaming the situation, after Downing Street backed calls for world football’s governing body to investigate the incident. The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are. Our commitment to the Falklands will never waver.” The spokesperson echoed Business Secretary Peter Kyle’s view that Fifa should investigate what Kyle called “an egregious violation of the rules of not having political activity as part of the football”.
“US backs Argentina players' Falklands banner; UK says islands 'definitely ours' and calls for Fifa investigation.”
Fifa’s independent disciplinary committee is assessing match reports. The Falkland Islands government said it was “disappointed but not surprised” by the banner and hopes Fifa will “sanction all behaviour of this nature in line with its own rules”. A statement added: “We do not wish to see politics being brought into sport. Nor do we wish the Islands and their people to be used as a political football in every conversation about England and Argentina.” The islands remain the subject of a sovereignty dispute between Britain and Argentina, who fought a brief but bitter war in 1982 that left 255 British personnel, three islanders and 649 Argentine soldiers dead. In a 2013 referendum, 1,513 of 1,517 votes cast – on a turnout of more than 90% – were in favour of remaining a British overseas territory.
Argentina’s vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, posted on X after the match: “It wasn’t just another match… The Falklands are Argentine. They banned bringing them to the stadium and forgot that we carry them in our blood and our hearts.” Downing Street said Sir Keir Starmer wished both Argentina and Spain well for the final, “especially Spain”. Liberal Democrat MP Al Pinkerton condemned the “disgraceful scenes” in Atlanta, saying “football was used as a platform to challenge the democratic right of Falkland Islanders to determine their own future”. The row threatens to overshadow Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.