LONDON — Argentina are set to face disciplinary action after their players held up a banner about the Falkland Islands after their World Cup semi-final win over England, reported PA Media/dpa.

Article 34.3 of the tournament’s rules prohibits the display of any political messages or slogans by players before, during or after a match.

Yet members of Argentina’s squad held up a banner which read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” which translates to “The Falkland Islands are Argentinian” after the victory in Atlanta.

The Falkland Islands are a UK overseas territory, with islanders voting overwhelmingly to remain so in 2013. In April 1982 Argentinian forces invaded the islands but were forced to surrender by June of the same year.

Argentina were fined by Fifa after holding up a banner with the same slogan after a friendly against Slovenia in 2014, while the Football Association was told by Fifa at the 2022 World Cup that England captain Harry Kane would face sporting sanctions starting with a yellow card if he wore a rainbow-coloured “OneLove” armband at the finals in Qatar, a country which criminalises homosexuality.

Spain players Rodri and Alvaro Morata were banned for one match each by European football’s governing body Uefa after singing about their country’s claim to Gibraltar after winning Euro 2024.

Former England international Peter Reid described the Argentina banner display as “beyond the pale”.