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With 48 hours to go until the Spain v Argentina final, the 2026 World Cup continues to unfold in ways no one could have predicted. The Falklands controversy is causing a stir at FIFA, Les Bleus must already bounce back for a France v England clash that promises to be a crunch match, and Lamine Yamal could miss the match of his life.
20 Minutes’ live coverage, published during the night of 16–17 July and updated until 03:18, brings together all the threads of a news story that never sleeps.
20 Minutes’ live coverage, published during the night of 16–17 July and updated until 03:18, brings together all the threads of a news story that never sleeps.
The banner setting FIFA alight
The image went viral in a matter of minutes. On Wednesday evening, as the final whistle blew in the Argentina v England match (2–1), several Argentine players unfurled a banner reading ‘The Malvinas are Argentine’. This was a direct reference to the Malvinas — or the Falkland Islands, as the British call them —, a British Overseas Territory claimed by Buenos Aires since 1833.
The reaction was not long in coming. The British government officially asked FIFA to launch an investigation, describing the gesture as “an unacceptable political provocation in a sporting context”. RMC Sport reports that world football’s governing body has indeed opened an investigation, though it has not yet specified the range of possible sanctions — which could range from a simple warning to a fine, or even the suspension of players for Sunday’s final.
The timing is explosive. Argentina, the defending champions, are set to take on Spain at MetLife Stadium in New York (Sunday 19 July, 9.00 pm French time) in what promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated finals in recent history.
France v England: the battle of pride in Miami
Three days after their shock elimination by Spain (2–0) in the semi-final, Didier Deschamps’ men must pull on their blue kits one last time. The third-place play-off, on Saturday 18 July at 11.00 pm at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, is taking on the air of a continental derby. France v England is the classic fixture that never sleeps, even without the ultimate prize at stake.
TF1info points out that Kylian Mbappé and his team-mates have never lost to the Three Lions in official competition since Euro 2012. But this third-place play-off, often shunned by first-team regulars throughout the tournament’s history, raises a squad selection question: will Deschamps field his usual starting eleven or give playing time to the players who have been on the bench throughout the tournament? The answer will be revealed in the coming hours.
Yamal: the cloud of doubt hanging over La Roja
This is the setback Spain had been dreading. Lamine Yamal, 19 and already La Roja’s attacking linchpin, has been carrying a niggle since the semi-final against France. The Barça prodigy, who has had an exceptional tournament, has reassured fans about his fitness in comments reported by Footmercato. But his playing time and the intensity of the recent matches raise questions.
His presence or absence on Sunday could completely change the dynamic. Without Yamal, Spain’s entire right flank would lose its driving force, and Nico Williams would find himself very much on his own against the Argentine defence. Luis de la Fuente has not yet issued an official medical update.
Trump and Milei: the shadow of the presidents
Off the pitch, a photograph has also been widely circulated: Donald Trump and Javier Milei posing side by side at the Shield of the Americas Summit on 7 March at the Trump National Doral in Miami. The image, unearthed in the midst of the World Cup, serves as a reminder that Milei’s Argentina and Trump’s United States share more than just a taste for excess: a diplomatic alliance that takes on a unique resonance as the two nations could cross swords at the pinnacle of world football on Sunday. The final will be played in New York – hardly neutral ground for the former US president.
The countdown is on. On Saturday: France v England. On Sunday: Spain v Argentina. And in the meantime, a FIFA decision that could change everything.