Argentina players banned for World Cup brawl and AFA fined over Falklands banner

Three Argentina players have been banned for a number of games for their role in a brawl at the World Cup final - with the country's football association fined £235,000 over a Falklands Islands banner.

Midfielder Leandro Paredes has been given the longest ban - of 10 matches - and a £66,000 fine by FIFA's disciplinary committee.

Defender Nahuel Molina was handed a seven-game suspension and fined £66,000, while Thiago Almada was given a one-match ban and a £22,000 fine.

Argentina coach Roberto Ayala was banned for three matches and fined the same amount.

Read more:
Hunt for 'Chucky-style' masked man who chased woman
The hackers blackmailing a video game giant

Spain's Gavi was ordered to serve a one-match ban and fined £22,000.

Argentina's FA (AFA) has also been fined £235,000 over the displaying of a banner following the semi-final win over England, which read "Las Malvinas son Argentinas", translating to "The Falklands Islands are Argentinian".

Only £89,000 of that is an immediate direct fine to FIFA, with £73,000 suspended and another £73,000 Argentina will spend on its own anti-discrimination work.

The fine also covered breaches by Argentina supporters of FIFA's anti-discrimination regulations at other games during the tournament.

For the discrimination offences, the AFA has been ordered to play its next home match at 50 per cent capacity, with another 50 per cent restriction at a further match suspended.

The Falkland Islands is a UK overseas territory with islanders voting overwhelmingly to remain so in 2013.

In 1982, Argentina's forces invaded the islands but were forced to surrender two months later.

The banner was condemned by UK politicians at the time.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle also described the banner as "entirely inappropriate".

AFA said its legal department would "request from FIFA the grounds for the rulings that are reviewable in order to file appeals before the Appeals Committee of the governing body of world football, leaving in the future the possibility of appealing to the CAS as a last resort".

(c) Sky News 2026: Argentina players banned for World Cup brawl and AFA fined over Falklands banner