Why Did FIFA Ban Argentina's Paredes and Molina?

More than a month after Spain lifted the trophy, Argentina’s World Cup is still generating headlines — just not the kind anyone at the AFA wanted. On August 21, 2026, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee handed down bans and fines against four individuals and the federation itself, closing the book on a tournament that ended in celebration for Spain and, it turns out, an active disciplinary file for the runners-up.

What did FIFA actually rule?

Four separate sanctions. Leandro Paredes was banned 10 matches with a $90,000 fine — the heaviest individual punishment. Nahuel Molina received a 7-match ban and the same $90,000 fine. Thiago Almada was banned for 1 match with a $30,000 fine, and team official Roberto Ayala for 3 matches with a $30,000 fine. On top of the individual bans, the AFA itself was fined $321,000 and ordered to play its next home matches at reduced, 50% stadium capacity.

What actually happened to trigger this?

Three separate incidents, not one. The most serious was a scuffle involving players and staff after the July 19 final loss to Spain, which produced the bulk of the individual sanctions. Separately, Argentina’s squad displayed a Falklands/Malvinas banner after their semi-final win over England — a politically charged gesture FIFA treats as a conduct violation regardless of the football result attached to it. FIFA also cited discriminatory chants from sections of the Argentine support across multiple matches during the tournament.

Is Argentina fighting the ruling?

Yes, and quickly. The AFA issued a statement confirming its legal department would request FIFA’s full grounds for the rulings and file appeals with FIFA’s Appeal Committee. The federation’s legal advisor called the sanctions “excessive” and explicitly left open the possibility of taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport as a last resort if the internal appeal doesn’t succeed. No outcome from that appeal process had been reported as of this writing.

When would these bans actually start costing Argentina players?

The next international window is the real test. Argentina have fixtures reported for the September 21 to October 6, 2026 window — a home match plus games in China — the first point at which Paredes’ 10-match ban and Molina’s 7-match ban would meaningfully affect squad availability, assuming the appeal hasn’t reduced them by then. Almada’s single-match ban is a smaller practical issue by comparison.

What’s still unresolved?

Almost everything downstream of the appeal. FIFA hasn’t published a timeline for ruling on Argentina’s challenge, and no player or Scaloni quote reacting directly to the sanctions has surfaced publicly — only the institutional AFA statement. Until the appeal process plays out, the exact shape of Argentina’s next squad, and how many of these four are actually available for it, remains an open question.