​The Argentina national team celebrated wildly after a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over England in the semifinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.After the final whistle, the players took a banner from the stands and spread it out on the pitch with the phrase: “The Malvinas are Argentine.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe demonstration, however, runs up against FIFA’s strict rules against political messages in football.Article 17 (paragraph two) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code holds federations responsible for the use of political, ideological, religious, or offensive messages.The range of possible punishments for the Argentine Football Association (AFA) includes:Formal warning or caution.Financial fines.Return of prize money.Stripping of a title (in extreme cases).The financial hitFor a first offense involving this type of banner, the fine ranges from R$31,000 (minor cases) to R$62,000 (serious cases).The amounts increase by 100% for each repeat offense.Disrespect toward the English anthemAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe stands can also cause headaches.Before kickoff, the South American fans drowned out the playing of England’s anthem by chanting, “If you don’t jump, you’re English.”FIFA provides for specific punishments for disturbances during anthems, with fines ranging from R$31,000 to R$47,000 even for a first occurrence.The rivalry between Argentina and England goes beyond the pitch.Argentina’s protest with the banner “The Malvinas are Argentine” has once again drawn global attention to a centuries-old territorial dispute that culminated in a war in 1982.Geographically, the islands are just 550 kilometers off the coast of Argentina, but 12,800 kilometers from Great Britain.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, the two countries view the territory in completely different ways (even down to the name of the capital: Puerto Argentino for South Americans and Stanley for the British).The current situationThe islands, called the Falkland Islands by the British, are a British Overseas Territory.They have their own local government, but London is responsible for defense and part of foreign relations.Argentina, however, rejects British administration, arguing that the archipelago has been under illegal occupation since 1833.The country claims to have inherited rights over the territory from Spain after its independence in 1816.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhat do the UN and the local population say?The international community treats the matter as an unresolved diplomatic issue:The UN’s position: The United Nations does not declare who the islands belong to. Since 1965, it has formally recognized that a sovereignty dispute exists and has called for a peaceful resolution between the two countries.The will of the residents: In 2013, a referendum asked inhabitants whether they wished to remain a British territory. The result was overwhelming: 99.8% said “yes” (only 3 people voted against it). The United Kingdom use