Argentina names July 15 National Football Teams Day for World Cup win

The Argentine Football Association has unanimously approved July 15 as National Football Teams Day. This new holiday commemorates the Albiceleste's 2-1 semifinal victory against England during the 2026 World Cup.

Argentina trailed the English side 1-0 until the 85th minute of the match. Late goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez secured the comeback, allowing Argentina to reach their second consecutive World Cup final.

The decision followed a council executive meeting on Wednesday. The AFA stated the date was selected to honor the historic nature of the win over England.

Following the semifinal result, players displayed a banner on the pitch reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas.” This message refers to the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls the Islas Malvinas. President Javier Milei described the banner as a valid reflection of a sentiment shared by the Argentine people, though he anticipated FIFA would issue a fine.

The political gesture led to the UK government requesting a FIFA investigation. Consequently, FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings regarding the political references, allegations of inappropriate chanting, and claims of racist abuse. The proceedings also include investigations into alleged assaults against Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and assistant coach Roberto Ayala.

Argentina eventually lost the World Cup final to Spain. That match concluded with violent physical confrontations between players from both teams.