FIFA has approved a request from the Argentine Football Association (AFA) to reduce the duration of the suspensions imposed on Argentina's players and coaching staff following their conduct during the World Cup final. The decision allows the bans to be served in Class A friendly matches rather than only competitive fixtures.
Bans and fines for Argentina players
Leandro Paredes received a 10-game ban for his post-match behaviour, which included kicking Eric Garcia and pushing Gavi to the ground as Spain celebrated their 1-0 win after extra-time. The 32-year-old was also fined £66,500.
Nahuel Molina was handed a seven-game suspension, while Thiago Almada and coach Roberto Ayala received bans of one and three games respectively for their involvement. All four were also fined.
Friendlies to count towards suspensions
The suspensions were initially set to apply only to competitive fixtures and not friendlies. That presented a significant problem given that Argentina won't feature in a competitive fixture until the 2028 Copa America. FIFA has now approved the AFA's request to permit the bans to be served in Class A friendlies.
Argentina currently have no fixtures scheduled, though there is room for six matches before the end of the year. European nations, for instance, will play four matches during the newly merged September and October international break before playing another two games in the November window.
That means Almada and Ayala could return to their respective roles as early as October. Molina, meanwhile, would have one remaining game to serve in 2027, most likely in March. As for Paredes, he would still have to miss four more matches — potentially two in March and a further two in June.
AFA fined and awaiting justification
The AFA was also hit with a £237,000 fine relating to multiple incidents during the World Cup and must stage their next home fixture at half capacity. Argentina's players brandished a banner reading 'The Falklands are Argentine' following their 2-1 semi-final victory over England, which led to the AFA being found guilty of "using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature."
The federation was also held accountable for discrimination and racist abuse carried out by Argentina supporters. In a statement released 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."
