The review covers Argentine players' conduct after the final and a politically charged "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" banner displayed during the semifinals, with fines, suspensions and reprimands still possible.
FIFA has opened a formal disciplinary investigation into Argentine players following the 2026 World Cup final, broadening scrutiny beyond the post-match clashes with Spain to include a politically charged banner displayed after Argentina's semifinal win over England. The case centers on a July 16, 2026 celebration in which Argentine players held up a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” or “The Falklands are Argentine,” a message that touches one of the most sensitive issues in UK-Argentine relations and falls within FIFA rules barring political statements during matches. The probe also covers confrontations after the final, with Lisandro Martínez, Emiliano Martínez, Giovani Lo Celso, Cristian Romero and Leandro Paredes reportedly named in the investigation. Earlier footage from the final had already drawn attention to a broader melee involving Argentine and Spanish personnel. As of July 20, 2026, FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee was reviewing match reports and had not announced penalties or bans. Retroactive playing bans are seen as unlikely because the tournament has ended, but fines, suspensions from future international competitions and formal reprimands remain possible. The dispute has also taken on a diplomatic dimension, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other British officials calling for sanctions while Argentine President Javier Milei has downplayed the affair.