Argentina appeals to TAS as FIFA sanctions stay after World Cup final

The Argentine Football Association (Associação do Futebol Argentino, AFA) announced on Friday 6 November that it will take its case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Tribunal Arbitral do Esporte, TAS) to challenge the FIFA sanctions imposed after the 2026 World Cup final loss to Spain.

AFA moves to challenge FIFA decisions

FIFA kept part of the disciplinary measures against Argentine players and the federation, prompting the appeal. The governing body therefore upheld the sanctions despite Argentina’s objections.

Argentina fell 1‑0 to Spain on 19 July at MetLife Stadium in Nova Jersey, Estados Unidos, after extra‑time. The defeat decided the World Cup title.

The match was decided in extra‑time and ended amid a melee involving players from both sides. The on‑field clash spilled over into the technical areas.

Those incidents triggered FIFA disciplinary proceedings, which later resulted in the announced punishments. The governing body opened investigations into the conduct of both teams.

Sanctions and their impact on Argentina

According to AFP, the FIFA Appeals Committee partially accepted Argentina’s plea concerning defender Nahuel Molina, cutting his suspension from seven to four matches. The reduction reflected the committee’s assessment of his involvement.

Molina’s fine was also reduced from US$90,000 to US$60,000. The lower penalty was announced alongside the shortened ban.

Midfielder Leandro Paredes of Boca Juniors received a ten‑match ban, which FIFA left unchanged. The decision kept his full suspension in place.

Paredes’ fine of US$90,000 also remained intact. The monetary sanction was confirmed together with the ban.

During the fracas, Paredes clashed with Spanish players Eric García and Gavi. The altercation contributed to the disciplinary case.

Beyond individual penalties, the AFA was fined US$321,000 for various disciplinary breaches during the tournament, including discriminatory fan behaviour. The hefty fine covered multiple infractions recorded by FIFA.

FIFA also ordered spectator limits for two Argentina home games, capping attendance at 50 percent, though one restriction was suspended pending an observation period. The conditional measure aimed to curb further incidents.

In response, the AFA said it will request the detailed reasoning behind the decisions to prepare its TAS submission, though no formal receipt or hearing date has been set. The federation hopes the additional information will aid its appeal.

The sanctions affect Argentina’s upcoming schedule; Molina has already served three of his four‑match ban. He remains unavailable for the next fixture.

Paredes has also completed three matches, will miss friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica in November, and will still have five matches to serve if the appeal fails. His absence will weaken the midfield for those games.

The final was characterised by Spain’s possession dominance under Luis de la Fuente and Argentina’s offensive struggles under Lionel Scaloni. The tactical battle saw the Spaniards control most phases of play.

Early on, Lamine Yamal forced goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez into a save as Spain pressed without finding the net. The early intervention set the tone for a tight contest.

Messi and Julián Álvarez saw limited attacking involvement as Argentina struggled to retain possession in the final third. Their reduced influence reflected the team's overall difficulty in creating chances.

Argentina lost defender Lisandro Martínez to injury early in the first half, with Nicolás Otamendi replacing him. The substitution altered the defensive line early on.

The score remained nil‑nil at the interval. Both sides entered the break without a breakthrough.

In the second half Spain continued to control play and forced further saves from Martínez. The continued pressure kept the match level until extra‑time.