FIFA has officially opened disciplinary proceedings against the Argentinian Football Association (AFA) following a series of incidents during the World Cup. The investigation includes the team's decision to display a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” which translates to “The Falklands are Argentinian,” following their semi-final victory against England. The banner references the 74-day war fought between the two nations over the archipelago in 1982, a territory that remains a subject of sovereignty claims by Argentina.
This act is under scrutiny as a potential violation of Article 13(2)(c) of the FIFA disciplinary code, which forbids the use of sporting events for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature. The AFA has faced similar penalties previously; in 2014, the association was fined £20,000 for displaying a banner with an identical message after a friendly match against Slovenia, which breached rules on political action and team misconduct.
Beyond the banner, FIFA is investigating reports of discriminatory chants and gestures from Argentina fans throughout the tournament. The governing body has confirmed that the disciplinary case is broad in scope, covering several other alleged breaches of its code. These include issues with match and security protocols, late kick-offs, the display of inappropriate messages by both teams and spectators, and the throwing of objects by fans.
The investigation also follows separate proceedings opened against individual players involved in a post-match brawl following Argentina’s final loss to Spain. Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina are currently under investigation for the alleged assault of Spain’s Rodri and Eric Garcia in New Jersey, while assistant Roberto Ayala is also being examined. Additionally, attacking midfielder Thiago Almada is facing accusations of unsporting behaviour alongside Molina and Spain’s Gavi.
Regarding the ongoing process, FIFA stated, "In accordance with the Fifa Disciplinary Code, the respondents have now been provided with the opportunity to present their position, following which a decision will be issued by the Fifa Disciplinary Committee in due course."
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