Argentina’s players had barely finished celebrating a 2-1 win over England in the World Cup semi-final in Atlanta when a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” reached them from the crowd. They held it up on the pitch. The sign says the Falkland Islands are Argentine.
FIFA bans political messaging on the pitch, and the Independent reported that the players could face disciplinary action.
London reacts
Business secretary Peter Kyle called the banner “completely inappropriate” and said FIFA should look into it. “Politics should stay away from football,” he said. “That is a very clear principle of the World Cup, but any consequences that come from that is now a decision for Fifa.”
Downing Street pointed to remarks its spokesperson had made two days earlier: “The Falkland Islanders are British with the right to determine their own future.”
Argentina’s vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, had called England “invaders” and “usurping pirates” before the match. After the final whistle she shared images of the players with the banner. “The Falklands are Argentine!” she wrote. “They banned bringing them to the stadium and forgot that we carry them in our blood and our hearts.”
The HMS Medway dispute
A second row opened within hours. On Wednesday night, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno accused the Royal Navy of a “military incursion,” saying HMS Medway had entered Argentine waters earlier in July without formal notice. He said a “formal note of protest” had gone to the British embassy.
No 10 disputed that. The prime minister’s spokesperson said Argentina was notified in advance of a routine logistics visit to Chile, from 5 to 8 July, to deliver supplies for British Antarctic survey operations. The ship, a River-class patrol vessel normally based in the Falklands, took “the most direct practical route” considering safety and weather, he said.
Oil and sanctions
The tension did not fade. In a national address in early September, President Javier Milei said he would sanction firms that exploit oil near the islands. He called the Sea Lion oilfield, where Britain’s Rockhopper Exploration and Israel’s Navitas Petroleum are due to begin work, a “clear and present danger.” The field lies around 130 miles from the islands and is estimated to hold 1.7 billion barrels.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called the UK position “unwavering.” Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said Milei’s statement “tells us more about domestic politics in Argentina than it does about the Falkland Islands.” Rockhopper and Navitas said they did not expect a material effect on the project’s timetable.
The BBC noted that Milei’s popularity sits around 34 percent and that he faces an election in a year. It is not yet clear how the sanctions would be imposed.
The islands lie about 8,000 miles from Britain and 300 miles from mainland Argentina. A 1982 war over them killed 255 British military personnel, three islanders and 649 Argentine military personnel. In a 2013 referendum, 99.8 percent of islanders voted to remain a British overseas territory, with only three voting against.
Sources
- Argentina accuses British warship of ‘illegal journey’ into its waters
- Argentine leader threatens to sanction oil firms and reiterates Falklands claim
