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Messi, Yamal avoid punishment as FIFA announces bans for Argentina and Spain players
Five individuals and the Argentine Football Association have been handed punishments by FIFA following infringements at the World Cup.
FIFA has handed down severe disciplinary sanctions, including a massive 10-match international suspension for Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes, following the violent scenes that marred the aftermath of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Following a stiffly contested final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026, where Spain secured their second World Cup star with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina, frustrations boiled over into a full-scale physical altercation.
On Friday, August 21, 2026, the governing body officially concluded its investigation, issuing bans and financial penalties to four Argentine representatives and one Spanish player.
The Punishments Handed Down
The disciplinary committee issued varying suspensions based on the severity of each individual’s involvement in the post-match melee:
• Leandro Paredes (Argentina): 10-match ban and a $90,000 fine. Paredes faced three separate counts of assault.
• Nahuel Molina (Argentina): 7-match ban and a $90,000 fine. Molina was charged with two counts of assault during the scuffle.
• Roberto Ayala (Argentina Assistant Coach): 3-match ban and a $30,000 fine. He faced one count of assault.
• Thiago Almada (Argentina): 1-match ban and a $30,000 fine. He was cited for unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Gavi (Spain): 1-match ban and a $30,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct.
FIFA has clarified that these suspensions apply to national team fixtures only. Therefore, the bans will not impact the players’ availability for their respective club commitments, allowing Paredes, Molina, Almada, and Gavi to continue their domestic campaigns uninterrupted.
The flashpoint occurred immediately following the final whistle. As the Spanish squad began their triumphant celebrations after Ferran Torres’s extra-time winner.
In of the pockets of violence that broke out, Paredes aggressively pushed and grabbed Spanish defender Eric García by the throat. When Spain’s Gavi attempted to intervene, he was held back by Almada and subsequently shoved to the ground and struck by Paredes.
The altercation escalated as more personnel rushed the field. Molina in a separate incident, attacked Spanish captain Rodri, while Lionel Scaloni’s assistant coach, Roberto Ayala, shockingly punched Spanish forward Dani Olmo in the face.
How severe is Paredes’ punishment?
Paredes’s 10-match suspension ranks among the most severe disciplinary actions in World Cup history. It draws immediate comparisons to the infamous ban handed to Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez in 2014.
After biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during a group-stage match in Brazil, Suárez was slapped with a nine-match international ban alongside a four-month suspension from all footballing activities.
Because Paredes’s ban applies solely to international fixtures, it effectively serves as an expulsion from the Argentine national team, keeping him out of action well into their upcoming qualification cycle.
In addition to the individual player sanctions, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) was penalised for multiple cumulative breaches throughout the tournament. FIFA fined the AFA a total of $321,000 and ordered them to play their next two home matches at 50% stadium capacity.
A significant portion of that federation fine stems from the aftermath of Argentina’s 2-1 semi-final victory over England on July 15, 2026.
During the post-match celebrations, several Argentine players displayed a highly political banner reading “Las Malvinas son argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”). While no individual players were suspended for the banner, the AFA bore the full financial and logistical brunt of the political display.
Both the players and the AFA maintain the right to appeal the rulings to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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