The FIFA Disciplinary Committee notified the Argentine Football Association (AFA) on Friday of a set of sanctions that includes suspensions for three players and the assistant coach Roberto Ayala, as well as a total fine of US$ 321,000 for multiple violations committed during the 2026 World Cup, including the display of a banner about the Malvinas Islands.
The sanctions, detailed by CNN Español and confirmed in the official statement from the AFA, stem from the incidents that occurred after the final whistle that closed the World Cup, held on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 with a goal from Ferran Torres in the 106th minute of extra time.
The harshest punishment fell on midfielder Leandro Paredes, who was suspended for 10 matches and fined US$ 90,000 after footage showed him grabbing Eric García by the neck and taking down Gavi during the Spanish celebrations.
The defender Nahuel Molina received a suspension of seven matches and a fine of US$ 90,000 for hitting and confronting Rodri. Thiago Almada was sanctioned with one match and US$ 30,000.
Ayala, assistant to coach Lionel Scaloni, was suspended for three matches and fined US$ 30,000 after being caught punching Dani Olmo in the face. On the Spanish side, Gavi received a one-match suspension with the national team, a penalty that does not affect his commitments with Barcelona.
FIFA also penalized the AFA for displaying a banner with the phrase "The Falklands are Argentine," which was unfurled by Argentine players after defeating England in the semifinal.
The governing body of world football described it as "the use of a sporting event to make non-sporting demonstrations" and imposed a fine of $10,000, plus an additional $20,000 for inappropriate conduct by spectators in the same case. The banner had prompted a formal protest from the government of the United Kingdom to FIFA.
These figures are supplemented by US$ 100,000 —with another US$ 100,000 pending for six months— due to racist, homophobic, and discriminatory chants from fans during the matches against Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland, England, and Spain, and an additional US$ 91,000 for throwing objects onto the field, delays in the start of matches, and violations of security protocols.
As an additional sanction, the AFA must play its next official home match with a limited capacity of 50%, although it may replace this closure by allowing 25% of the capacity to be occupied by community groups and anti-discrimination organizations, pending FIFA's approval. It will also have to invest the amount of the fine for discrimination into a comprehensive plan against this scourge within the next six months.
The Argentine entity announced that it will challenge the resolutions. "The Legal Department of AFA will, in due time, request FIFA for the reasoning behind the rulings that are subject to review in order to file appeals before the Appeals Committee of the governing body of world football, with the possibility of appealing to CAS as a last resort in the future," stated the official statement.
Regarding the enforcement of individual suspensions, the AFA clarified that these will be deducted in the upcoming official matches of the men's senior team, including international friendlies.
According to an analysis by ESPN, Argentina could play up to 16 matches in international windows between September 2026 and November 2027, prior to the Copa América 2028, providing ample opportunity for even Paredes to serve a significant portion of his lengthy suspension without having to wait for the next major official tournament.
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