Argentina set to go to CAS after FIFA rejects appeals

Argentina will appeal to CAS after FIFA upheld bans on Paredes (10 matches) and Molina (7 matches) for conduct in the 2026 World Cup final loss to Spain.

The Argentina Football Association is escalating its dispute with FIFA by taking its case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the governing body rejected appeals against disciplinary sanctions.

Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban for his role in on-field clashes following Argentina's 1-0 defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, while teammate Nahuel Molina was initially given a seven-game suspension. Both players were fined $90,000 each. FIFA reduced Molina's ban to four games, but Paredes' punishment stood. The AFA itself was fined $321,000 for breaches including use of the event for non-sporting demonstrations, team misconduct, and discriminatory chants by supporters.

The incident occurred as Spain celebrated their World Cup victory, with Paredes appearing to push Spain's Eric Garcia by the throat while unused substitute Gavi was forced to the ground by Thiago Almada. The AFA said it will first request FIFA's reasoning for the decisions before proceeding to CAS.