Argentina can't enjoy a World Cup without FIFA coming after them, and this time the case file is long. The governing body has opened disciplinary proceedings against the AFA and several players for multiple alleged breaches across the tournament — headlined by that Falklands banner waved at full-time after beating England in Atlanta.
Lisandro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso were among the players who held up a banner reading "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas" — "The Falklands are Argentine" — right after the semi-final whistle. Given the opponent, the symbolism was pointed. FIFA wasn't amused. Using a sports event for non-sporting political demonstrations is a potential breach of their disciplinary code, and they've said so clearly.
This isn't unprecedented. FIFA fined Argentina £20,000 back in 2014 for an identical banner before a friendly against Slovenia. Expect a stiffer penalty this time — a World Cup semi-final against England carries considerably more geopolitical weight than a warm-up match in Ljubljana.
The final left its own mess
The Falklands banner is the headline, but the post-final fallout in New Jersey might actually carry the heavier disciplinary consequences. After Spain won 1-0 in extra time, Leandro Paredes shoved Gavi to the ground as Spanish substitutes flooded the pitch. Three assault counts for Paredes. Nahuel Molina faces two. Molina, Thiago Almada, Argentine official Roberto Ayala, and Gavi himself each face one count of unsporting behaviour.
Paredes losing his head at the final whistle of a World Cup final your team just lost is understandable on a human level. It's still going to cost him.
The broader charge sheet against Argentina also includes discriminatory chants and gestures, late kickoffs, security failures, inappropriate messaging, and objects thrown by fans across multiple matches. It reads less like a disciplinary case and more like a tournament report.
What happens next
FIFA has given all respondents the opportunity to present their positions before the Disciplinary Committee issues a ruling. Financial penalties are near-certain. Player bans are possible, though with the World Cup now over, the practical impact on the pitch is limited for now.
Argentina won the trophy in 2022. They lost the final in 2026. The disciplinary committee is going to have plenty to read either way.
