FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has handed a heavy punishment to Argentina’s Leandro Paredes following the turbulent events that transpired after the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.
Spain secured the World Cup title with a 1–0 victory over Argentina after extra time at New York New Jersey Stadium, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute.
Unrest broke out immediately after the final whistle following an altercation between Rodri and Nahuel Molina, which quickly escalated when Eric García and several other players intervened. According to match reports and video evidence, Paredes assaulted García and knocked down Gavi, sparking a widespread brawl involving players and coaching staff members from both nations.
The Disciplinary Committee ruled to suspend Paredes for 10 international matches—the heaviest sanction handed out to any participant in the final’s post-match melee—meaning he will miss a significant portion of Argentina’s upcoming fixtures.
In addition to the suspension, Paredes was fined $90,000 after being found guilty of three separate physical assaults during the post-match incidents. The ban applies strictly to international matches and will not impact his club availability.
Sanctions were also issued against several other individuals involved:
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Nahuel Molina: Suspended for 7 matches and fined $90,000.
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Thiago Almada & Gavi: Suspended for 1 match and fined $30,000 each.
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Roberto Ayala (Argentina Assistant Coach): Suspended for 3 matches and fined $30,000.
Furthermore, FIFA levied a total fine of $321,000 on the Argentine Football Association (AFA). This penalty accounted not only for the final’s post-match brawl but also for infractions accumulated across multiple tournament matches—including the display of a “Las Malvinas son argentinas” banner following the semi-final victory over England, alongside discriminatory chants, misconduct, and security breaches.
The AFA was also ordered to play two home matches with attendance restricted to 50% of stadium capacity, with $100,000 of the total fine allocated toward implementing an anti-discrimination initiative. However, one match of the stadium restriction and $100,000 of the fine have been suspended subject to a probationary period, which will be triggered only in the event of repeated infractions.
All penalized parties retain the right to request the formal grounds of the decision within 10 days to prepare an appeal against the announced sanctions.
