Argentina take FIFA World Cup final sanctions dispute to CAS

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against sanctions imposed by FIFA following the incidents after the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.

The decision marks a further escalation in the dispute over disciplinary measures issued against several Argentina players and the association itself. French network RMC Sport reported that AFA announced on Saturday that it would lodge its appeal with the sports tribunal in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The move follows a decision by FIFA’s appeal chamber to uphold the sanctions against Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes and the AFA.

The case stems from the scenes that followed Argentina’s 1-0 defeat by Spain after extra time in the final. Confrontations broke out between players and members of the two coaching staffs, with Paredes identified as one of the main individuals involved.

Paredes was accused of an altercation with Spain defender Eric Garcia after knocking him to the ground and grabbing him by the neck. He subsequently became involved in a confrontation with Gavi.

The midfielder faced three disciplinary charges, the highest number among the players implicated in the incidents.

In a statement, the AFA said it would take the necessary legal steps to defend the rights of both Paredes and the association. It said it would first request the reasoning behind the decisions before submitting an appeal to CAS, adding that it believed it had sufficient factual and legal grounds to challenge the sanctions.

FIFA had imposed a 10-match suspension on Paredes and fined the AFA $321,000. The fine related to discriminatory chants made by Argentina supporters during the final.

There was a partial change to the punishment imposed on Nahuel Molina. FIFA’s appeal chamber reduced his suspension from seven matches to four and cut his fine from $90,000 to $60,000.

Disciplinary action also involved Thiago Almada and Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala, although the source article did not detail the sanctions imposed on them.

The AFA’s appeal means the dispute will now be considered by CAS, which is based in Lausanne. It comes after FIFA’s appeal chamber confirmed the punishments against Paredes and the association while reducing Molina’s penalty.