White House backs Argentina players over Falklands banner in World Cup semi-final | World Cup 2026
The White House has backed Argentine football players who unfurled a banner supporting their country’s claim to the Falkland Islands following their World Cup semi-final victory against England.
In the competitive match in Atlanta on Wednesday, some players unfurled the following banner after Argentina’s 2-1 victory: “Son of Las Malvinas Argentina” – using the country’s term for the South Atlantic islands.
Keir Starmer backed calls for FIFA to investigate the incident on Friday and was seen backing Spain ahead of their World Cup final against Argentina.
But Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House FIFA working group, defended the Argentine players, saying the United States believes in freedom of expression.
Giuliani said: “We believe in our first amendment rights here in the United States.” He added that Argentine players will have “an opportunity to make a statement” in the United States.
The intervention may seem strange to Andy Burnham, who is set to take over as British prime minister on Monday. England and Argentina will also play against each other in the rugby Nations Championship in Argentina on Saturday. England players threatened to quit the game if any player was subjected to racist abuse.
Asked on Thursday for Starmer’s reaction to the sign, his spokesman said: “The World Cup may not be ours, but the Falkland Islands are certainly ours. Our position has not changed. The right to self-determination belongs to the islanders and our commitment to the Falkland Islands will never waver.”
“More generally, possible action is a matter for Fifa, but it has been a fantastic World Cup and we have said all along that politics should stay out of football.”
The spokesman also expressed Starmer’s good wishes for both teams, adding: “especially Spain”.
Earlier on Thursday, Business Minister Peter Kyle told the BBC that the banner was “an appalling breach of the rules of not engaging in political activity as part of football”.
He added: “At the World Cup [as] One of the basic principles is that politics is separate from football. This is now FIFA’s issue. I expect FIFA to investigate thoroughly.” The Prime Minister’s spokesman said Starmer supported Kyle’s comments calling on FIFA to investigate.
In the statement made by FIFA, the following statements were made: “As per standard procedure, FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee evaluates match reports and evaluates the relevant circumstances before deciding on possible further steps in accordance with FIFA disciplinary rules.”
In 2024, Spanish players Rodri and Álvaro Morata were banned one match by UEFA for chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” during celebrations of victory against England in that year’s European final in Madrid.
It was predicted that the World Cup semi-final would inflame disputes over the Falkland Islands. More than 900 people died in the war that broke out in 1982 after Argentina invaded the islands.
This month, Argentina complained about the Royal Navy’s HMS Medway passing through its national waters without permission on its way from the Falkland Islands to Chile.
Starmer’s spokesman said Britain rejected this. “We have informed the Argentine government in advance that HMS Medway will undertake a routine logistics visit to Chile between 5 and 8 July in support of British Antarctic Survey operations, which will provide the necessary stores and supplies to continue scientific research in Antarctica.
“The Royal Navy has always operated in full compliance with international law and the passage from the Falkland Islands to Chile was carried out via the most direct practical route possible, taking into account operational safety and weather conditions to ensure timely delivery.”
The Falkland Islands government said: “The Falklands government is disappointed – but unfortunately not surprised – that the Argentinian football team decided to taint the result of last night’s World Cup football semi-final – a match that did not in any case involve the Falkland Islands.
“However, it is not news to many that the islanders were victims of an aggressive invasion in 1982 that traumatized many. That is why the banner Argentina put up last night was particularly insensitive to many people in the Falkland Islands… We hope that FIFA will fulfill its promise to keep politics out of sport and sanction all behavior of this nature in line with its own rules.”
