FIFA have issued a fresh England statement following the Three Lions’ victory against France in the third-place play-off. Thomas Tuchel’s side bounced back from heartbreak in the semi-final to beat France and secure a first-ever third-place finish at the World Cup.
It proved a chaotic end to England’s 2026 adventure, with the 1966 winners edging a 10-goal thriller against France. While the significance of the contest was lost on some, it’s still a positive end to the tournament for Tuchel and co.
And after the win in Miami, FIFA took to social media to congratulate England on their achievement. A statement read: “Congratulations to @England, third place at @FIFAWorldCup 2026! Their best finish since winning the tournament in 1966.”
However, it comes after FIFA were forced to publish a statement aaddressing the behaviour of Argentina’s players in the aftermath of Wednesday’s semi-final. Some members of the Argentina squad were seen displaying a banner which read: ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas.’
There were immediate calls for FIFA to punish Argentina, with suggestions that it violated the tournament’s rules on political messaging. A statement from football’s governing body read: “As is standard procedure, Fifa’s independent disciplinary committee is currently assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps based on the Fifa disciplinary code.”
The banner, which claimed the Falkland Islands were Argentine, caused outrage in the United Kingdom and on the islands themselves. Jack Ford, Chair of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly, wrote a letter addressing the banner displayed by Argentina, saying: “I am writing on behalf of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly, the democratically elected body representing the people of the Falkland Islands, regarding a matter following the England v Argentina game on the 15th of July 2026.
“Following Argentina’s victory, members of the Argentina squad displayed a sign reading “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” in what was a clear political statement relating to the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. Videos were also leaked following their Argentina v Egypt fixture in which the Argentinian squad sang chants about the Falkland Islands in their locker rooms.
“We are disappointed, though regrettably not surprised, by this manner of action, as this is not the first such incident: the Argentine Football Association was sanctioned for £20,000 by FIFA in 2014 for comparable conduct.”
Argentina face Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday, with Lionel Messi and co. aiming for back-to-back titles. If Spain win, it would mark their second World Cup triumph in what is only their second World Cup final.