FIFA bans Leandro Paredes 10 matches for World Cup final brawl with Spain
Synopsis
FIFA has issued one of the harshest post-match bans in World Cup history — a 10-game suspension for Argentina's Leandro Paredes after he grabbed Spain's Eric García by the throat and shoved Gavi following the final. With Argentina's next 10 international fixtures all potentially friendlies, the ban is a de facto year out of international football, and the AFA faces $110,000 in fines on top of a mandatory $100,000 anti-racism spend.
Key Takeaways
Leandro Paredes banned for 10 matches and fined $90,000 for grabbing Eric García by the throat and pushing Gavi after the World Cup final .
Nahuel Molina suspended 7 matches ($90,000 fine); Thiago Almada banned 1 match ($30,000 fine); assistant coach Roberto Ayala banned 3 matches ($30,000 fine).
AFA fined $110,000 for Falklands banner, discriminatory chants, and other incidents; ordered to spend $100,000 on anti-racism initiatives.
Paredes' ban equals the 10-match suspension given to Croatia's Josip Simunic in 2013 — among the strictest in World Cup history.
Spain's Gavi also handed a 1-match ban , to be served against England at Wembley on 26 September .
AFA plans to appeal, with the option of escalating to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) .
FIFA has handed Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes a 10-match suspension for his conduct in the post-match confrontation with Spain following Argentina's defeat in the World Cup final at East Rutherford, New Jersey. The ban, one of the harshest in recent World Cup disciplinary history, effectively keeps Paredes out of the national team for the next year.
What Paredes Did and What It Cost Him
Paredes was sanctioned for grabbing Spain defender Eric García by the throat and pushing midfielder Gavi to the ground after the final whistle. FIFA's disciplinary committee treated the incidents as cases of assault. Paredes was also fined $90,000.
Given that the FIFA international calendar lists only 10 Argentina matches up to June 2027 — all potentially friendly fixtures, as Argentina has no competitive games scheduled in that window — the suspension is in effect a full year's absence from international football.
Other Players and Officials Sanctioned
Argentina defender Nahuel Molina received a 7-match ban and a $90,000 fine. Midfielder Thiago Almada was handed a 1-match ban and a $30,000 fine. Assistant coach Roberto Ayala was suspended for 3 matches and fined $30,000.
Spain midfielder Gavi also received a 1-match ban, which he will serve when Spain face England in the Nations League at Wembley on 26 September.
AFA Fined Over Multiple Incidents
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) was fined $110,000 for a series of infractions during the tournament — including players displaying a political banner relating to the Falkland Islands after their semi-final win over England, and discriminatory chants from supporters. FIFA additionally required the AFA to spend $100,000 on anti-racism initiatives.
The AFA was also ordered to play its next home match at 50 per cent stadium capacity, though that stadium sanction and a further $100,000 fine were placed on probation.
Notably, politicians in the United Kingdom had criticised the Falklands banner at the time, with Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey calling for the players involved to be suspended. Argentina's prize money from the tournament stood at $34 million.
How the Bans Compare Historically
Paredes' 10-match suspension matches the penalty handed to Croatia's Josip Simunic in 2013, who was banned for using a megaphone to lead fans in chants linked to Croatia's pro-Nazi wartime regime after a World Cup qualifying playoff. It falls short of the ban imposed on Uruguay forward Luis Suárez in 2014, who received a four-month ban from all football and an additional eight competitive international matches for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the Brazil World Cup.
This comes amid FIFA's wider clampdown on political gestures in football. UEFA had previously banned Spain's Rodri and Álvaro Morata for singing about Spain's claims to Gibraltar following their Euro 2024 triumph.
Argentina Plans to Appeal
The AFA has stated it intends to challenge the rulings. 'The AFA legal department will, in a timely manner, request from FIFA the grounds for the reviewable rulings in order to file appeals with the governing body's appeal committee, while retaining the future option of appealing to the CAS as a final recourse,' the federation said in a statement.
On 6 August, the AFA declared 15 July — the date Argentina defeated England in the semi-final — a national holiday to be observed as 'National Football Teams Day'. The final itself was decided by a single goal from Spain forward Ferran Torres in the second period of extra time, following the sending-off of Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández.
Point of View
Whose offence involved Nazi-era chants, which raises legitimate questions about FIFA's sanction framework. The AFA's simultaneous celebration of the semi-final date as a national holiday, while fighting fines for a Falklands banner and discriminatory chants, signals an institution that has not fully reckoned with the conduct that brought these sanctions on. The appeal to CAS will test whether FIFA's process holds up to independent review.
NationPress
22 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did FIFA ban Leandro Paredes for 10 matches?
FIFA banned Paredes for grabbing Spain defender Eric García by the throat and pushing midfielder Gavi to the ground after the World Cup final. The governing body's disciplinary committee treated the incidents as assault, resulting in one of the harshest post-match bans in World Cup history.
How long will Paredes effectively be out of the Argentina squad?
The 10-match ban is equivalent to roughly one year away from international football, as Argentina has only 10 matches scheduled up to June 2027 — all potentially friendly fixtures, with no competitive games in that window.
What other Argentina players and officials were sanctioned?
Defender Nahuel Molina received a 7-match ban and a $90,000 fine, midfielder Thiago Almada a 1-match ban and a $30,000 fine, and assistant coach Roberto Ayala a 3-match ban and a $30,000 fine. The AFA itself was fined $110,000 and ordered to invest $100,000 in anti-racism programmes.
Is the AFA planning to appeal the FIFA sanctions?
Yes. The AFA has confirmed it will request the grounds for FIFA's rulings and file appeals with the governing body's appeal committee, while also keeping open the option of escalating to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as a final recourse.
How does Paredes' ban compare to other historic World Cup suspensions?
The 10-match ban matches the penalty given to Croatia's Josip Simunic in 2013 for leading fans in chants linked to a pro-Nazi regime. It is less severe than the ban imposed on Uruguay's Luis Suárez in 2014, who received a four-month total football ban plus eight competitive international matches for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini.
