FIFA Suspends Three Argentina Players Over World Cup Final Scuffle

On Friday, FIFA imposed sanctions on three Argentina players and a coach for their roles in a post-match altercation following Argentina’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup final last month, with midfielder Leandro Paredes receiving a 10-game suspension for physical confrontations with Spanish opponents (AP India). The disciplinary action, announced by FIFA in Geneva, also included seven-game and one-game bans for defender Nahuel Molina and forward Thiago Almada, respectively, alongside fines totaling $210,000 for the players and the Argentine Football Association (AFA).

The suspensions stem from incidents during and after the July 2023 final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where tensions escalated after Spain’s Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in extra time. Paredes, captured on video grabbing Spain’s Eric Garcia by the throat and pushing Gavi to the ground, faces one of the longest bans in World Cup history, equating to a de facto one-year exclusion from international play given Argentina’s scheduled 10 matches through June 2027 (AP India). Molina and Almada were penalized for lesser roles in the scuffle, while Spain’s Gavi received a one-game suspension for his involvement, set to be served during a Nations League match against England on September 26.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee also sanctioned the AFA for separate violations, including $110,000 in fines for incidents such as players displaying a political banner referencing the Falkland Islands after their semifinal victory over England and discriminatory fan chants during the tournament (AP India). The federation was ordered to allocate $100,000 to anti-racism initiatives. Additionally, Argentina must host its next home game with stadium capacity limited to 50%.

The severity of Paredes’ punishment draws comparison to historic sanctions, including Uruguay forward Luis Suárez’s four-month ban in 2014 for biting an opponent and Croatia’s Josip Simunic’s 10-game suspension in 2013 for leading fascist chants (AP India). Unlike those cases, however, Paredes’ ban applies solely to national team duties, allowing him to continue club play.

Argentina’s football federation signaled its intent to challenge the rulings, stating it would request formal grounds for the sanctions to pursue appeals first with FIFA’s appeal committee and potentially the Court of Arbitration for Sport (AP India). The AFA’s legal team has not yet specified which penalties it will contest, though Paredes’ 10-game suspension is likely a primary target.

The suspensions cap a contentious tournament for Argentina, which received $34 million in World Cup prize money despite the off-field controversies (AP India). While the bans mark a decisive response from FIFA to post-match violence, the possibility of appeals leaves the final outcome uncertain, with no timeline yet set for resolution.