Leandro Paredes Faces Disciplinary Action from FIFA After World Cup Final
Leandro Paredes faces the prospect of becoming the Argentina player hit hardest by FIFA after world football’s governing body formally opened disciplinary proceedings into the chaotic aftermath of the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.
The midfielder sits at the centre of the case. According to the disciplinary file, Paredes has been charged with three separate acts of aggression, placing him in the most exposed position of all the players under scrutiny.
A potential landmark ban
FIFA has not yet delivered its verdict, but the scale of the accusations means Paredes is staring at one of the toughest individual sanctions to emerge from the tournament.
Under FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, any act of aggression against an opponent or any other person who is not a match official carries a minimum three-match suspension per offense. On paper, three charges could add up to a nine-game ban.
That is the theoretical ceiling. Recent precedents suggest FIFA is more likely to land on a suspension in the region of five or six matches if the charges are upheld, still a severe punishment that would sideline the Argentina international for a significant stretch of competitive fixtures.
Molina, Ayala and others drawn in
Paredes is not alone in the dock.
Nahuel Molina has been cited for two incidents: one completed act of aggression and one attempted. Both fall under the same disciplinary bracket and could bring a multi-game ban of their own if FIFA rules against him.
On the bench, assistant coach Roberto Fabián Ayala is also under investigation, facing a separate aggression charge that could lead to suspension from the touchline. His case adds another layer to Argentina’s potential fallout from a final that spilled far beyond the 90 minutes.
The net spreads wider still. Thiago Almada has reportedly been charged with unsporting conduct, an offense that carries a minimum one-match suspension under FIFA rules. Spain’s Gavi faces the same allegation on the other side of the divide, underlining how both finalists are being dragged into the disciplinary spotlight.
AFA in the crosshairs
The repercussions may not stop with individuals.
FIFA has opened proceedings against the Argentine Football Association (AFA) over a broad range of alleged violations: discriminatory chants and gestures, failures to comply with match and security protocols, delays to kickoff, inappropriate messages displayed by players and supporters, and the throwing of objects.
If those accusations are confirmed, the AFA could be hit with a substantial fine. The more serious threat, though, lies in the possibility of partial or full stadium closures for future home matches, a sanction that would strip Argentina of one of its greatest weapons: the intensity of its home support.
For now, no sporting or financial penalties have been imposed. This is still the investigative phase.
What happens next
Both the AFA and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) will be given the chance to submit evidence and mount their defenses before FIFA’s disciplinary bodies move to judgment.
Only once that process is complete will FIFA decide which charges stand and announce the sanctions. When that moment comes, the fallout from one of the most combustible World Cup finals in recent memory may not just reshape individual careers, but also redefine the atmosphere surrounding Argentina’s next chapter on the international stage.
