White House gives Argentina green light to display Falklands banner if they win World Cup final

— Argentina have received clearance from the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force to display their Falklands sovereignty banner again if they lift the trophy on Sunday, according to Sky Sports.

The decision comes after Argentina’s players unfurled a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”) following their dramatic 2-1 semi-final victory over England at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday. The gesture reignited the decades-old sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands—known as the Malvinas in Argentina—which was the subject of a 74-day war in 1982 that claimed 255 British and 649 Argentine lives.

Task force chief invokes First Amendment

Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and son of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, defended the players’ right to express their views while on American soil.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Giuliani referenced US constitutional protections, saying: “We believe in our First Amendment rights here in the United States of America”. When asked whether the players had acted improperly, he stated that the team had the opportunity and ability to “make those statements” in the US.

UK government and FIFA respond

Downing Street has backed calls for FIFA to investigate, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson declaring: “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are. Our commitment to the Falklands will never waver”. Business Secretary Peter Kyle described the banner as “an egregious violation of the rules of not having political activity as part of the football”.

FIFA confirmed its independent disciplinary committee is assessing the match reports and considering potential steps under the FIFA Disciplinary Code. The Falkland Islands government said it was “disappointed but not surprised” and hopes FIFA will “sanction all behaviour of this nature in line with its own rules”.

Milei weighs in

Argentinian President Javier Milei posted on X: “While some are busy throwing tantrums befitting a terminally mononeuronal teenager, we, through the diplomatic route, are getting closer every day to the recovery of the Malvinas Islands”.

Argentina face Spain in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, seeking to become only the third nation—after Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962)—to win back-to-back World Cups. Whether they will repeat their banner celebration remains to be seen—but the White House has made clear they will not stand in the way.