FBI warns match between England and Argentina is ‘highest risk’ of tournament
Police are bracing for flashpoints between England and Argentina fans after the FBI classified the World Cup semi-final match as the tournament’s ‘highest risk’ match.
Fights have already begun between rival fans and there are fears Argentinian “ultra” football thugs may head to the US.
There were isolated clashes between rival fans during the match in Miami last week where England defeated Norway.
Now security has been stepped up in Atlanta as thousands of fans descend on the city in the fight for tickets, with seat prices on FIFA’s resale site going up to $3,700 (£2,700).
Atlanta Stadium, which has a capacity of 68,239, will have separate entrance gates for the two groups of fans, but there will be no separation when they enter the stadium.
Authorities are trying to introduce some of the bars in the city as ‘England’ and some as ‘Argentina’ in order to keep the fans away from each other.
The shadow of the Falklands War hangs over the conflict, as does Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal that knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup and David Beckham’s red card in 1998.
The Argentinian team didn’t help matters with footage of them chanting ‘Las Malvinas, por Diego and por la ultima de Leo’, meaning ‘For the Falkland Islands, for Maradona and for Lionel Messi’s last World Cup’, dragging one of football’s most volatile rivalries straight into the 1982 clash.
Security has been stepped up for England’s World Cup semi-final clash with Argentina. Picture: Officials at the Los Angeles stadium before the Iran-New Zealand match last month
And this week Argentina’s foreign minister, Pablo Quirino, revived its claim to the Falkland Islands.
The government in Buenos Aires is in contact with its UK counterparts, the FBI and local police to prevent problems.
There were fears that groups of bandits from tough ‘barrios’ or neighborhoods in cities such as Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Mendoza were trying to reach the US.
Commissioners were told to confiscate flags depicting the Falkland Islands in Argentine colors or identifying them as Malvinas.
Last night Gary Lineker refused to back down over his use of the word Malvinas on The Rest is Football podcast.
Responding to criticism, he said: ‘I don’t really understand why this is an issue. That’s what they call it in Argentina. So it’s just a literally accurate term.’
