World football governing body FIFA has softened suspensions handed to Argentina national team players following the 2026 World Cup final, according to reports by British newspaper The Mirror.
Under the updated ruling, banned members of the squad will be permitted to serve their disciplinary sanctions during Grade A international friendlies. FIFA had originally stipulated that the punishments could only be served in official competitive matches, a decision that would have sidelined the affected players from international duty until the 2028 Copa America.
Midfielder Leandro Paredes received the heaviest penalty after being handed a ten-match ban for confronting Spain player Gavi following the final whistle. Defender Nahuel Molina was given a seven-match suspension, while forward Thiago Almada received a one-match ban.
Rule change for friendly matches
FIFA, international football's governing body, classifies Grade A friendlies as official senior international matches recognized for global rankings and statistics. Allowing suspensions to be served in these fixtures significantly reduces the calendar time the trio will be barred from representing Argentina on the international stage.
The disciplinary actions stem from incidents at the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup final, where Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 to lift the trophy. The match remained goalless through regular time before Spanish forward Ferran Torres scored the decisive winning goal in the 106th minute during extra time.
Player bans and tournament background
The Copa America, South America's major continental national team tournament organized by CONMEBOL, is held every four years. Under the initial sanctions, both Paredes and Molina would have missed all upcoming international fixtures, including World Cup qualifiers, until that tournament.
Paredes, Molina and Almada have all been key figures for the Argentina national team, which won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Spain midfielder Gavi and forward Ferran Torres both represent Spanish club Barcelona alongside their senior international duties.
