The administration of US President Donald Trump has issued an official position in support of the Argentine national football team, The Times reports.
The reason was the tension after the “albiceleste“ defeated England 2:1 in the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup in Atlanta. During the celebrations on the pitch, the players unfurled a banner with the inscription „Las Malvinas son Argentinas“ („The Falkland Islands are Argentine“. This has sparked diplomatic anger in London and calls for harsh sporting sanctions.
First Amendment vs. FIFA Rules
Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House task force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, told reporters that players have every right to express their views on American soil. „We in the United States of America believe in the rights guaranteed by our First Amendment,“ Giuliani said, referring to the constitutional protection of freedom of the speech.
Washington has made it clear that it does not support the demands of British politicians to remove Argentine football players from the upcoming final against Spain in New Jersey, adds Wales Online.
However, the world headquarters FIFA has strict regulations against political messages during matches, reminds U.S. News. A spokesman for the organization confirmed to the media that the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee is already “evaluating the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances“ to decide whether to impose sanctions on the Argentine Football Association. In 2014, the federation was already fined for a similar event.
The sharp reaction of Downing Street
The US position is in stark contrast to the comments from the United Kingdom, writes The Telegraph. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer immediately cut off after the match: “The World Cup may not be ours, but the Falklands certainly are“, he was quoted by ITV News. British Business Secretary Peter Kyle described the Argentines' actions as “a blatant breach of the no-politics rules in football“ in an interview with the BBC. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey even sent an open letter to Gianni Infantino demanding immediate punishment for the players involved.
As the diplomatic row between allies London and Washington rages, Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes defended his teammates to Sky News, saying: “This is a painful part of our history. We knew we were playing for all our people“. The World Cup final, which Donald Trump himself is expected to attend, will be held on Sunday at the “MetLife“ stadium.