Should Argentina be kicked out of the World Cup after Falklands stunt? Vote now | Football | Sport

Argentina appear to have landed themselves in hot water by sending a political message about the Falkland Islands after beating England. During the build-up to the World Cup semi-final, the sovereignty of the British Overseas Territory emerged as a topic of debate. The two countries famously went to war in 1982, when Argentina invaded the Falklands over a long-standing claim to the islands.

They were quickly defeated by British forces, who successfully recaptured the islands in just 10 weeks and forced Argentina to surrender. Four decades later, many Argentinians still believe they are entitled to the Falklands despite its population being overwhelmingly in favour of remaining under British control.

Just three people voted in favour of cutting ties with Britain in a 2013 referendum, while over 1,500 residents said they wanted to maintain the status quo. Argentina rejected the result of the referendum at the time, describing it as a ‘parody’.

Earlier in the tournament, a number of Argentina players were filmed chanting about the islands following their victory over Egypt, and they pulled off another stunt after beating England which could land them in serious trouble.

History suggests that Argentina could be punished by FIFA over the stunt. In 2014, they received a £20,000 fine after holding up a banner with the same message before a friendly against Slovenia.

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FIFA rules state that any team displaying political messages will be sanctioned, while football’s lawmakers IFAB also have clear rules banning political statements on the pitch.

The stadium code of conduct for the World Cup prohibits “any materials, including but not limited to banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia, that are of a political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature.”

That includes “wording, symbols or any other attributes aimed at discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group on account of […] political opinion or any other opinion.”

Based on historical precedent, the most probable course of action would be another financial penalty for Argentina, perhaps an increase on the fine they received in 2014.

It’s unlikely that they would be kicked out of the World Cup, but it remains to be seen how FIFA will react following such a clear breach of the rules against political messaging.