England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina has been placed in the tournament’s “highest risk” category after security discussions involving the FBI, FIFA officials and local law enforcement.
Authorities in Atlanta are preparing a broad security operation for the fixture, with plans including separate entry gates for each group of supporters. Once inside the stadium, however, fans will not be segregated.
The assessment followed a meeting on Monday between the FBI, FIFA and police, where officials discussed the long-standing tensions between the two nations and the risk of flashpoints involving rival fans.
Although organisers are expected to make significant efforts to keep supporters apart before and during entry, there is recognition that control becomes more limited inside the venue because FIFA matches do not operate with formal segregation. Concourse areas, where fans from both sides are likely to cross paths, will receive particular attention.
Concerns have already been heightened by videos circulating online that appear to show trouble involving England and Argentina supporters on Saturday. One clip shows a Three Lions fan inside the stadium exchanging punches with three men wearing Argentina shirts, while another appears to capture a group of Argentina-shirted fans confronting England supporters in a bar.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has appealed for calm, though tensions have been fuelled by Argentina players repeatedly singing a song referencing the Falkland Islands during their run in the tournament. The 1982 conflict, which followed Argentina’s invasion of the islands, led to the deaths of 907 people before Britain reasserted control of the South Atlantic territory. Argentina’s foreign minister this week reiterated the country’s claim to the islands, a position swiftly rejected by Sir Keir Starmer.
Argentina supporters at England’s quarter-final against Norway clash in the stands with an English fan
England fans heading to Atlanta for Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina will face heightened security after the fixture was classified as the “highest risk” match
Argentina sang a song about the Falkland Islands to taunt England after beating Switzerland
‘The message to the Argentine people is that this is a soccer match,’ Scaloni said. ‘We’re going to face a great team with a great coach, but it is just a soccer match, nothing more than that.’
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford sounded a similar note. ‘It is just a game of football and two passionate sets of fans going there to watch a top-level game,’ he said. ‘That’s what football does. It brings fans together, it brings the nations together and it’ll be, it’s two proud nations, that’s, that’s the key word, and we’re both proud nations. The football will do its talking.’
A heavy police presence will be visible outside each team hotel while there will be a major focus in the area around the spectacular Mercedes-Benz Stadium which is where many of the fans are expected to congregate.
All of England’s games in the US have so far felt like home matches but it will be a different story when they return to Atlanta than it was for their clash with DR Congo in the Georgia city.
There is a huge Argentinian diaspora in the US, with thousands due to travel to the game from Florida. Officials expect a 50-50 situation in the stadium, but England’s fans may well find themselves outnumbered in the city itself.
As Daily Mail Sport previously reported, there will be an increased number of law enforcement officers on patrol, while attention will be paid to the fan fest, which will be screening the France versus Spain match on Tuesday.
In 1986, Argentina defeated England 2-1 in a Mexico World Cup quarter-final, when Diego Maradona scored the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal when he punched the ball past Peter Shilton.
A small team from the UK Football Policing Unit is in the US, will be on the ground in Atlanta and has been successfully liaising with local law enforcement agencies.
In keeping with the rest of the tournament just four arrests were made around the England versus Norway game. One was for trying to gain entry without a ticket, one was a fan who refused to leave when asked to do so and two were around a disturbance between two England fans. Police have again praised the behaviour of an estimated 30,000 who supported the Three Lions at the game.
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