The Argentine Football Association announced on Friday that it would take its case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The decision followed FIFA’s Appeal Committee ruling on sanctions linked to incidents after the 2026 World Cup final.
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Clashes erupted among players after the final whistle. FIFA later imposed penalties on several Argentine participants and the association itself.
FIFA’s Appeal Committee reduced the ban for Nahuel Molina, Argentina defender, from seven matches to four. It also cut his fine from 90,000 dollars to 60,000 dollars. However, the committee upheld the 10-match suspension and 90,000-dollar fine against Leandro Paredes, Argentina midfielder.
The association also faced a 321,000-dollar fine for breaches that included discriminatory chants by supporters and team misconduct. Officials ordered Argentina to play two home matches with limited attendance, though part of that penalty remained suspended.
The Argentine Football Association stated its intention to continue the fight. “The next steps in defending the rights of the player and the AFA will be to request the grounds for the decisions and, with them, appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for a new review,” the association said in its statement. Officials added that they held sufficient factual and legal arguments to pursue the appeal.
Paredes faced the heaviest individual penalty for his role in the post-match confrontations. Meanwhile, other players and staff received shorter bans that have already been served or adjusted. The association plans to submit its formal challenge once it receives the full written grounds from FIFA.
