No 10 calls for investigation into Argentina’s controversial World Cup banner

Craig Munro | Senior Politics Reporter Published July 16, 2026 12:27pm Updated July 16, 2026 12:27pm Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi, left, and midfielder Giovani Lo Celso with the banner (Picture Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images) Downing Street has urged Fifa to investigate whether the controversial banner held up by Argentina’s national team at last night’s World Cup match broke its rules against political messages. Shortly after the team broke English hearts with their late surge to beat the Three Lions 2-1 in the semi-final, the Argentines were handed a white sheet from the crowd. It read ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ – translating to ‘The Falkland Islands are Argentinian’. The demonstration has sparked outrage in the UK, with Business Secretary Peter Kyle describing it as ‘entirel