
August 21st, 2026
FIFA banned three Argentina players on Friday.
This happened after they lost the World Cup final to Spain.
Midfielder Leandro Paredes got a 10-match ban.
He grabbed Spain's Eric Garcia by the throat.
He also pushed Gavi to the ground.
Defender Nahuel Molina got a seven-game ban.
Thiago Almada got a one-game ban.
FIFA also fined Paredes and Molina $90,000 each.
Almada was fined $30,000.
The ban for Paredes means he cannot play for Argentina for about one year.
The FIFA calendar has 10 national team games until June 2027.
All of them could be friendlies.
Spain's Gavi also got a one-game ban.
That game is a Nations League match against England on Sept. 26.
Argentina coach Roberto Ayala got a three-game ban.
He also got a $30,000 fine.
The Argentine Football Association was fined $110,000.
This was for several incidents.
Players carried a political banner about the Falkland Islands.
They did this after the semifinal win against England.
Fans also made discriminatory chants.
FIFA also ordered AFA to spend $100,000 on anti-racism projects.
Argentina got $34 million in World Cup prize money from FIFA.
AFA said it will appeal the longer bans and fines.
It may later take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The fights on the field came after Argentina lost a difficult final.
Argentina was mostly outplayed.
Spain's Ferran Torres scored the only goal in extra time.
FIFA also ordered Argentina to play its next home game in a stadium.
That stadium can only be half full.
August 21st, 2026

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