FIFA also accused the Argentine Football Association of violations of rules during several matches. The allegations relate to chants and messages surrounding Argentina’s politically charged semi-final match against England.
The two countries have long been at odds over the Falkland Islands, which are off Argentina’s coast but are controlled by the United Kingdom. This region is known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina.
Following Argentina’s 2–1 win over England in Atlanta on 15 July, Albiceleste players raised a banner that read, “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Malvinas Islands are Argentina”).
FIFA wrote that the Argentine federation violated rules regarding “discriminatory chants and gestures, late kick-off, failure to comply with match and security protocols, display of inappropriate messages by the team and spectators and throwing of objects by spectators”.