FIFA say they are "assessing match reports" before determining whether Argentina will face sanctions following their players' decision to display a politically charged banner after winning their 2026 World Cup semi-final against England.

The defending champions mounted a stunning comeback in Atlanta, scoring twice to overturn a deficit and seal a 2-1 victory over Thomas Tuchel's England. Argentina will now face Spain in Sunday's final.

At the final whistle, Argentina players unfurled a banner bearing the message "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" — translating as "The Falklands are Argentine" — sparking an immediate controversy that has drawn in football's governing body and the British government alike.

FIFA's disciplinary process

In an official statement, a FIFA spokesperson confirmed: "As is standard procedure, Fifa's independent Disciplinary Committee is currently assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps based on the Fifa Disciplinary Code."

This is not the first time Argentina's football association has faced scrutiny over such a display. In 2014, FIFA fined the federation £20,000 after players held up an identical banner before a friendly match against Slovenia. At the time, the governing body ruled that the gesture breached regulations on political action and team misconduct.

British government responds

Downing Street has called for FIFA to act. A spokesperson for the prime minister stated: "The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are. Our commitment to the Falklands will never waver."

The Falkland Islands — a British overseas territory located in the south-west Atlantic Ocean, roughly 300 miles off Argentina's east coast — have been at the centre of a sovereignty dispute between the UK and Argentina for decades.

In 1982, Argentina, then governed by a military junta under General Leopoldo Galtieri, invaded the islands. The conflict lasted 74 days, from April to June of that year, and claimed the lives of 649 Argentine servicemen, 255 British servicemen, and three civilians from the islands themselves.

FIFA are yet to announce any formal disciplinary action.