NafisaLeandro Paredes has been hit with a huge 10-match international suspension after FIFA concluded its disciplinary proceedings into the ugly scenes that followed Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain.
The midfielder is one of several Argentina players and staff members punished following the incidents at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on July 19, when tensions boiled over after Spain secured a 1-0 victory to become world champions.
Paredes has received the heaviest individual punishment, with FIFA confirming a 10-game ban and a $90,000 fine. Nahuel Molina has also been handed a substantial suspension, while several other members of the Argentina and Spain camps have been sanctioned.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced the punishments on Friday after assessing the incidents from the World Cup. Paredes was sanctioned following his involvement in the post-match confrontation with Spain players. Reuters reported that a scuffle broke out at the final whistle, with Paredes pushing Spain midfielder Gavi to the ground as Spanish substitutes entered the pitch to celebrate.
Molina has been suspended for seven international matches and fined $90,000, while Argentina midfielder Thiago Almada has received a one-match suspension and a $30,000 fine.
Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala has also been punished, receiving a three-match suspension and a $30,000 fine.
Gavi, whose full name is Pablo Martín Páez Gavira, has also been handed a one-match suspension and a $30,000 fine for his involvement in the incident. Importantly, Gavi is a Spain player, rather than an Argentina player, despite being included alongside the Argentine sanctions in FIFA’s announcement.
The punishments mean Paredes will miss Argentina’s next 10 matches at international level. FIFA confirmed that the suspensions will be carried over to the next matches of the relevant national teams.
However, the disciplinary fallout does not stop with the players.
The Argentine Football Association has been fined a total of $321,000 by FIFA for several breaches of the governing body’s disciplinary code.
Those breaches include team misconduct, discriminatory chants and gestures from supporters, security-related offences and the use of a sporting event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature.
One of the issues highlighted was the appearance of a political banner declaring “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” following Argentina’s World Cup semi-final victory over England. FIFA determined that using a sporting event for a non-sporting demonstration breached its disciplinary regulations.
The AFA has also been ordered to play its next two home matches with spectators limited to 50 per cent of stadium capacity.
There is, however, an important caveat to the punishment.
FIFA confirmed that part of the sanction has been suspended during a probationary period. One of Argentina’s two restricted home matches and $100,000 of the fine are subject to that suspension.
The $100,000 portion of the financial punishment must also be invested into a plan designed to combat discrimination.
The sanctions come almost a month after the World Cup final descended into a heated confrontation following Spain’s dramatic victory.
Argentina had been chasing back-to-back World Cup triumphs after winning the 2022 tournament, but Spain ultimately prevailed 1-0 in the 2026 final.
The post-match scenes overshadowed some of the immediate celebrations, with FIFA subsequently opening disciplinary proceedings against members of the Argentina camp. The governing body confirmed on July 29 that proceedings had been opened over the incidents, before Friday’s final decisions brought the matter to a much more serious conclusion.
Paredes’ punishment is particularly significant because of the scale of the suspension. A 10-match international ban means Argentina will have to navigate a sizeable portion of their upcoming international programme without one of their experienced midfielders.
Molina’s seven-match suspension also represents a major blow, while Ayala’s three-game ban means Argentina’s coaching staff will be affected too.
The FIFA decisions are not necessarily the final word, however.
The governing body confirmed that the parties have 10 days to request a motivated decision, while the sanctions remain subject to appeal under the relevant FIFA disciplinary regulations.
For now, though, the message from FIFA is clear: the fallout from Argentina’s World Cup final defeat has resulted in serious consequences.
Paredes has received the biggest individual punishment, Molina has also been handed a lengthy ban, the Argentina FA faces a significant financial penalty and the national team could see reduced attendances at its next home fixtures.
What began with a heated confrontation after the biggest match in international football has now developed into one of the most significant disciplinary stories to emerge from the 2026 World Cup.
Nafisa
