Argentina considers legal action after FIFA hands players lengthy bans and hefty fines over World Cup brawl
The Argentina Football Association announced plans to challenge FIFA’s disciplinary decisions on Friday, August 21, after the sport’s governing body suspended multiple players. It also issued substantial fines, all stemming from a brawl following the team’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
Andrés Paton Urich, the legal advisor to Argentina’s Football Association, characterized FIFA’s sanctions as disproportionate during a radio appearance on D Sports Radio.
“We don’t like the sanctions; we knew there would be some, but we expected less,” he stated, emphasizing that the federation would formally request the grounds for FIFA’s decisions to prepare a comprehensive appeal.
How the AFA intends to deal with the bans
The federation intends to submit a frame-by-frame video analysis of the various incidents to FIFA’s Appeals Committee, arguing that the severity of the bans fails to match the players’ conduct.
According to the AFA’s official statement, the legal department would pursue appeals through FIFA’s established channels while preserving the right to escalate the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if necessary.
The AFA specifically targeted the suspensions imposed on Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina,
and Roberto Ayala as unjustified given their actions during the altercation.
The confrontation that started it all
The confrontation occurred after the final whistle on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium, when tension between both squads boiled over.
Midfielder Paredes received a 10-match suspension and a $90,000 fine after grabbing Spain defender Eric García by the throat and throwing midfielder Gavi to the ground.
Defender Molina, who initiated the scuffle by striking Spain midfielder Rodri on the arm as the Spaniard ran to celebrate with teammates, was suspended for seven matches and fined $90,000.
Midfielder Thiago Almada drew a one-match ban and a $30,000 fine, while assistant coach Ayala faced a three-match suspension and the same $30,000 fine after striking Spain midfielder Dani Olmo.
The Argentina Football Association additionally faced a $321,000 fine from FIFA for various violations including discriminatory chants from supporters, security breaches, protocol infractions and the display of a political banner relating to the Falkland Islands that players carried onto the field following the semifinal victory over England.
The federation also received a stadium capacity restriction mandate, requiring Argentina to play its next two home matches at 50 percent capacity.
The disciplinary process
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee spent over a month investigating the post-match incidents, reviewing footage and interviewing involved parties before announcing its findings. The governing body’s investigation determined that Paredes faced three assault counts, while Molina was found liable for two assault counts.
Each player received an opportunity to respond to the charges before FIFA issued its final determinations.
The severity distinguishes itself even among notable World Cup-related infractions, though it doesn’t really match up to Luis Suárez‘s 2014 incident, when the Uruguayan forward was banned from all football for four months and suspended from eight competition games for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during a group stage match in Brazil.
What comes next
The AFA has ten days from the notification to formally request FIFA’s detailed reasoning for each disciplinary decision. Once the federation receives this documentation, it will prepare its appeal submission to FIFA’s Appeals Committee.
The bans will apply to international fixtures rather than club matches, meaning Paredes will miss contests with Argentina’s national team exclusively.
Gavi’s one-match suspension applies to his participation in Spain’s Nations League fixture against England on September 26 at Wembley Stadium. Similarly, Almada and Ayala’s suspensions attach exclusively to international play.