Argentina midfielders Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina have been given a combined 17-match suspension by FIFA for their involvement in the violent scenes that followed last month’s World Cup final defeat by Spain.
FIFA announced the disciplinary measures on Friday, 21 August 2026, with Paredes receiving the most severe sanction. The 32-year-old midfielder has been banned for 10 matches and fined $90,000 (£66,000).
Molina has been suspended for seven games and must also pay a $90,000 (£66,000) fine.
Argentina’s national team has additionally been fined $321,000 (£235,000) after FIFA found the delegation responsible for a number of offences during the tournament. One of the charges involved “using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature.”
That charge relates in particular to a banner displayed by Argentina players after their semi-final win over England. It carried the words “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, meaning “The Falklands are Argentine”.
British government officials had reportedly called on FIFA to examine the incident, which brought a political element to the tournament and led to scrutiny of Argentina’s conduct away from the football itself.
Further sanctions have been imposed on other members of the Argentina delegation. Thiago Almada has been suspended for one match and fined $30,000 (£22,000), while Spain midfielder Gavi has received the same punishment.
Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala has been banned for three matches and fined $30,000 (£22,000).
The disciplinary action follows the confrontation that broke out after Spain defeated Argentina in last month’s World Cup final. Paredes and Molina were among the players punished for their part in the altercation, which FIFA treated as a serious breach of its regulations.
The bans represent a significant blow to Argentina, with Paredes facing the longest period on the sidelines and Molina also unavailable for seven international fixtures. The financial penalties imposed on the two players are separate from the larger fine issued to the Argentina delegation.
FIFA’s ruling also confirms that responsibility for the tournament incidents extended beyond the players directly involved in the post-match violence. Almada, Ayala and the Spanish international Gavi were all sanctioned independently, while the Argentina team was fined over the wider list of offences recorded during the competition.
The case has therefore produced punishments for conduct both after the final and earlier in the tournament, including the banner displayed following Argentina’s victory over England.
