Argentina Await FIFA Decision Over Displaying World Cup Falklands Banner

 Argentina players hold a banner with the words "The Malvinas are Argentine", referring to the Falkland Islands, at the end of the World Cup semi-final match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(AP)
Argentina players hold a banner with the words "The Malvinas are Argentine", referring to the Falkland Islands, at the end of the World Cup semi-final match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(AP)
TT

Argentina Await FIFA Decision Over Displaying World Cup Falklands Banner

 Argentina players hold a banner with the words "The Malvinas are Argentine", referring to the Falkland Islands, at the end of the World Cup semi-final match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(AP)
Argentina players hold a banner with the words "The Malvinas are Argentine", referring to the Falkland Islands, at the end of the World Cup semi-final match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(AP)

Football's global governing body FIFA will assess match reports before deciding if they take any action over Argentina's players holding up a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" (The Falklands are Argentine) following their 2-1 victory over England.

A British minister had Thursday called for FIFA to look into the incident following the World Cup semi-final match in Atlanta.

FIFA released a statement late Thursday saying they were "assessing the match reports".

"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," it said.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Downing Street office Thursday backed the calls by Business Minister Peter Kyle, who called the flag waving an "egregious violation" of FIFA rules which ban political symbols on the field of play.

"The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are," a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Argentina invaded the British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic in 1982.

But Britain regained the archipelago in a brief war after then prime minister Margaret Thatcher dispatched a naval taskforce.

"Politics needs to be separate from football. In fact, the World Cup has one of its central tenets that politics is separate from football," Kyle told BBC television.

Argentina's football association were fined £20,000 ($27,000) by FIFA in 2014 for players posing in front of a banner with the same message before a friendly against Slovenia.

FIFA said the gesture had breached rules on "political action" and team misconduct.

Britain occupied the Falklands in the 19th century, but Argentina claims the islands are part of its territory.

Argentina President Javier Milei called the stunt "perfectly valid and legitimate."

"It's a feeling that exists within all Argentines," he told El Observador radio station.

"The Malvinas are Argentine, we're going to recover them, and we will do it through diplomatic means," said Milei.

Argentina's vice president, Victoria Villarruel, upped the tensions ahead of Wednesday's kick-off by dubbing the English "usurping pirates".

The 1982 conflict ended with the deaths of 649 Argentines and 255 Britons.

After the World Cup match, Argentina's Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said Buenos Aires had filed a formal protest over a British warship near the Falkland Islands.

Quirno voiced on X "the strongest rejection" of Britain's HMS Medway's "unconsulted and illegal" passage through Argentine territorial waters.



Five Premier League Stars to Watch This Season

 15 August 2026, United Kingdom, London: Chelsea's Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the pre-season friendly soccer match between Chelsea and Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. (dpa)
15 August 2026, United Kingdom, London: Chelsea's Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the pre-season friendly soccer match between Chelsea and Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. (dpa)
TT

Five Premier League Stars to Watch This Season

 15 August 2026, United Kingdom, London: Chelsea's Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the pre-season friendly soccer match between Chelsea and Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. (dpa)
15 August 2026, United Kingdom, London: Chelsea's Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the pre-season friendly soccer match between Chelsea and Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. (dpa)

The new Premier League season kicks off on Friday, setting the stage for a galaxy of stars to shine in the 2026-27 campaign.

AFP Sport looks at five players to watch:

Morgan Rogers (Chelsea)

Signed for a British record £117 million ($158 million) from Aston Villa, the England midfielder will be expected to lead the Xabi Alonso revolution at Stamford Bridge.

Rogers is Chelsea's marquee close-season recruit and must live up to his eye-watering price tag if Alonso is to revitalize the Blues after their dismal 10th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

The 24-year-old arrives fresh from helping Villa end their 30-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League.

Rogers' friendship with Chelsea forward Cole Palmer from their time together in Manchester City's youth academy will help his acclimation, but Alonso must find a way to harness the talents of two players that operate in similar areas of the pitch.

Elliot Anderson (Manchester City)

The 23-year-old held the record as the most expensive British player for just a matter of days before being eclipsed by Morgan Rogers' move to Chelsea.

Signed from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, Anderson has the formidable task of replacing the prodigious output of Rodri and Bernardo Silva.

Spain World Cup winner Rodri has joined Barcelona, while Silva moved to Real Madrid, leaving a huge void in City's midfield that Anderson must fill for new boss Enzo Maresca to enjoy a successful debut season.

Anderson's astute reading of the game, smooth passing and composed demeanor earned the England international his big-money move and a massive pay rise.

Now he has to justify that huge expense as City try to dethrone champions Arsenal after two years without a Premier League title.

Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal)

The Brazil midfielder was Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's consolation prize after missing out on Morgan Rogers.

The Gunners declined to match Chelsea's record-breaking offer for Rogers and pivoted to Guimaraes, who makes the champions' already formidable squad even stronger.

Arsenal paid £75 million to sign the Newcastle captain and he will slot in alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in midfield.

"Since the first day he came in, it has been such a natural thing," Arsenal captain Odegaard said of Guimaraes' transition.

"Although we had some big fights with him in the past, he has just come in as a real natural part of the team.

"He can win the ball, he's a fighter. But he also has so much quality and is calm on the ball."

Pre-Season Friendly - Tottenham Hotspur v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - August 15, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Sandro Tonali celebrates after the match. (Reuters)

Sandro Tonali (Tottenham)

The Italy midfielder took just 10 minutes to agree to become Tottenham's record signing. Now he must show that rapid decision was the right move for himself and his new club.

With his relentless work ethic and quality in possession, the 26-year-old was a key figure in Newcastle's renaissance before their dip last season.

Looking to take his career to new heights, Tonali was quickly convinced to join Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi's overhaul of a club that are looking upwards after narrowly avoiding relegation in May.

"When you are happy after a 10-minute chat, everything is perfect," said Tonali, who acknowledged the size of his fee brings "a lot of pressure".

Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool)

Jacquet has been signed to quell the mounting concern about a creaky defense that lacked the authority of Liverpool's title-winning unit in 2025.

Now 35, Virgil van Dijk no longer looks impregnable.

The Liverpool captain's struggles were exacerbated by the woes of his defensive colleagues last term.

Ibrahima Konate has joined Real Madrid, while Andrew Robertson moved to Tottenham.

Jacquet, 21, had to wait for his Anfield move after a £60 million switch from Rennes was agreed in the winter transfer window.

And Van Dijk acknowledged their nascent partnership at the heart of Liverpool's defense is a work in progress.

"It's pretty clear that you need to form a connection together and that takes a bit of time," he said.

"That's absolutely normal, but hopefully we can get that going as quickly as possible."


No.1 Sabalenka Slams Wang to Advance at Cincinnati

Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her win against Xinyu Wang of China during day eight of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. (Getty Images/AFP)
Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her win against Xinyu Wang of China during day eight of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. (Getty Images/AFP)
TT

No.1 Sabalenka Slams Wang to Advance at Cincinnati

Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her win against Xinyu Wang of China during day eight of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. (Getty Images/AFP)
Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her win against Xinyu Wang of China during day eight of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. (Getty Images/AFP)

Aryna Sabalenka unleashed her big game with devastating effect on Tuesday, hammering China's Wang Xinyu 6-1, 6-3 to reach the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters.

The world number one took only 20 minutes to blow through the first set against her 36th-ranked opponent and began the second set with a break of serve.

Sabalenka kept up the pressure in the second set with Wang double-faulting on the top seed's first match point after 54 minutes.

The victory marked the 45th in a row for Sabalenka at the Masters 1000 level.

"I cannot complain. She's a tough opponent," Sabalenka said. "To win in straight sets like this in under an hour is insane.

"I'm super happy to be through. I really trusted myself and went for my shots. I wasn't over-thinking. I was able to stay focused and be in every point."

Sabalenka next plays Czach Sara Bejlek, a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 winner over Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Fourth seed Coco Gauff needed to battle following a sizzling first set in a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) victory over fellow American Ann Li.

The 2023 champion had it all her own way in the opening set against her 29th-ranked foe, winning in 30 minutes. The pair exchanged early breaks in the second on the way to a tie-breaker, in which Gauff seized a 4-1 lead and won on her third match point.

"She played better in the second set and I missed a couple of break opportunities," Gauff said. "I tried to forget about those.

"It was hard to control the ball for both of us and it was my first time playing a day match on this center court so I had to adjust to that."

Mirra Andreeva's French Open reigning champion status counted for little as the fifth seed struggled to close out a 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) victory over Janice Tjen.

The Indonesian challenger, ranked 37, was bowled over in the first set but made Andreeva work to finally advance.

"In the first I was in command and she had unforced errors here and there, but in the second after a couple of games I started getting nervous, she made fewer mistakes -- it turned into a match of mentality and physicality," Andreeva said.

Eighth seed Elina Svitolina was forced to withdraw before her match against Wang Xiyu with an ankle injury.

"I've been advised by the doctors to take a little bit of time to rest and recover completely," the Ukrainian said in a statement.

Canada's second-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime eliminated Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 in 90 minutes.

"It was a tricky start, finding my rhythm," the Canadian said. "Lefties are tricky, you don't play them so often. You can prepare all you want but until you step onto the court, you can't find your right adjustments. Then you feel comfortable."

Washington winner and fifth seed Taylor Fritz fired eight aces in defeating Daniel Merida 6-3 6-4 in 83 minutes. The Spaniard made 25 unforced errors as Fritz booked a fourth-round match against Australian Chris O'Connell, who is 0-3 against the American.

- 'I played amazing' -

Last week's Montreal finalist Brandon Nakashima came from the brink to upset fourth seed Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-1.

Nakashima led 5-2 in the first set before falling in the tie-breaker, then saved three match points in the 10th game of the second set on the way to forcing a third, which he dominated.

Italian 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti defeated American Michael Zheng 6-1, 6-3 in 71 minutes.

Portugal's Nuno Borges defeated 2021 runner-up Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-4 in 72 minutes.

The 47th-ranked Borges ended a five-match loss streak in the rivalry while Rublev will drop from the ranking top 20 for the first time since January 2020.

"I played amazing," Borges said. "It means a lot to be in the fourth round. It's a big moment for me."


SKorean Footballers Report Heat-related Symptoms, Call for Stronger Safeguards

Rain falls on a dried-up reservoir in drought-hit Miryang, about 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 16 August 2026.  EPA/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT
Rain falls on a dried-up reservoir in drought-hit Miryang, about 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 16 August 2026. EPA/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT
TT

SKorean Footballers Report Heat-related Symptoms, Call for Stronger Safeguards

Rain falls on a dried-up reservoir in drought-hit Miryang, about 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 16 August 2026.  EPA/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT
Rain falls on a dried-up reservoir in drought-hit Miryang, about 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 16 August 2026. EPA/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT

South Korean professional footballers urged stronger protections against extreme heat after a survey by the Korea Pro-Footballers Association showed many players hit by dehydration, dizziness and temporary lapses in consciousness during competition.

It found 86.2% of respondents suffered significant physical strain while playing in the heat, among 536 players from the K League and WK League surveyed during a summer when pitch temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees F).

Nearly two-thirds (64.7%) complained of dizziness during matches or training, while 56.6% had severe dehydration, with 13% having lapses in consciousness.

"The fact that over 70 players ⁠experienced dizziness, dehydration, ⁠and even temporary loss of consciousness is a glaring red flag," KPFA President Lee Keun-ho, a former national team player, Reuters quoted it as saying in a statement.

The union called on the Korea Football Association (KFA), K League and WK League to introduce mandatory heat protocols, saying the current safeguards do not sufficiently ⁠protect players.

Almost half the respondents said they were dissatisfied with the current cooling-break system that usually gives players a break of just over three minutes once temperatures reach a specified threshold.

Nearly 90% supported changes to existing match operations during extreme heat. More than half favored later kick-off times, while others backed postponing or cancelling matches when heat advisories are in effect.

The union said women players often face additional challenges, with some matches ⁠scheduled during ⁠the hottest part of the day on artificial surfaces and at venues without adequate air-conditioned changing facilities.

"Playing under the scorching sun on artificial turf that traps and radiates heat is essentially forcing athletes into a furnace," KPFA Women's President Ji So-yun said.

"Just as professional baseball proactively cancels games for the heat, football needs to stop mechanically following a rigid schedule and actually prioritize player health and safety."

The KPFA said the findings should also prompt a broader discussion on South Korea's football calendar, with some players supporting a switch to an autumn-spring schedule.