The White House’s World Cup task force head, Andrew Giuliani, defended Argentina’s national soccer team after they displayed a banner asserting Argentina’s territorial claim to the Falkland Islands following their semi-final victory over England on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The banner, reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine), was initially held by fans and later carried onto the field by players during celebrations.

Giuliani stated in a press conference with Sky News that Argentina’s players had the right to wave the banner, citing the First Amendment rights upheld in the United States. “In terms of the ability and opportunity to be able to make those statements, they have the ability to do that in the United States,” he said.

The banner reflects Argentina’s longstanding claim over the Falkland Islands, a self-governing British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, a claim that has long been a source of tension with the United Kingdom.

Following the match, British politicians criticized FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino for failing to act, as FIFA’s stadium code of conduct prohibits political banners and messages inside tournament venues. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey commented on the situation via the social platform X, saying, “The rot at FIFA has gone too far. Under Infantino, political greed has completely broken the game we love.”

A FIFA spokesperson emphasized that self-determination rests with the islanders and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to the Falklands. The spokesperson added, “More broadly, potential action is a matter for FIFA, but it’s been a fantastic World Cup, and we’ve said throughout that politics should stay out of football.”