FIFA have approved a request to reduce the punishment handed to Argentina for their behaviour at the World Cup final. Three Argentina players were banned for their part in a brawl at the end of their 1-0 defeat to Spain.
Bans and fines imposed
Midfielder Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban and a £66,000 fine from FIFA’s disciplinary committee. Defender Nahuel Molina was suspended for seven matches and given the same fine. Thiago Almada received a one-match ban and a £22,000 fine, while Argentina coach Roberto Ayala was banned for three matches and fined the same amount. Spain’s Gavi also received a one-match ban and a fine.
Friendlies to count towards suspensions
Initially, the suspensions were set to count only for competitive matches, not friendlies. That posed a problem because Argentina won't play a competitive match until the 2028 Copa America. FIFA has now approved the Argentine FA's (AFA) request to allow the bans to be served in Class A friendlies.
In a statement on Thursday, the AFA said: "The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has formally requested Fifa to allow the sanctions imposed on its players during the 2026 World Cup final, and on the association itself, to be served in Class A friendly matches and/or official matches, whichever comes first. Based on the AFA's submission, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee has deemed the request approved in accordance with current regulations. Nevertheless, the AFA, in defence of its rights and those of its players, is awaiting the written justification for the decisions in order to file the corresponding appeals with FIFA’s Appeals Committee, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) potentially as the final recourse."
Return timelines and additional fine
Although Argentina currently don't have any fixtures scheduled between now and the end of the year, they have room to arrange six games. That means Almada and Ayala could be back in their respective roles by early October. Molina would have one game left to serve in 2027, likely in March. Paredes would have four remaining - potentially two in March and two in June.
Argentina’s football association was also fined £235,000 in relation to the displaying of a banner at the end of the World Cup semi-final which read ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’, translating as ‘The Falkland Islands are Argentinian’. The fine also covered breaches by Argentina supporters of FIFA’s anti-discrimination regulations at other World Cup matches. For the discrimination offences, the AFA has been ordered to play the country’s next home match at 50 per cent capacity, with a 50 per cent capacity restriction at a further match suspended.
