In the wake of Argentina’s tense 1-0 2026 FIFA World Cup final defeat to Spain at the New York New Jersey Stadium, global football’s governing body has launched full disciplinary proceedings targeting the Argentinian Football Association (AFA) and multiple high-profile Argentine players and coaching staff for a string of alleged rule breaches across the tournament. The post-final confrontation, which erupted immediately after the final whistle when Argentine players and backroom personnel clashed with Spanish champions, has been at the center of FIFA’s inquiry, with a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor appointed just one week after the July final to examine the violent altercations.
Following the prosecutor’s formal recommendation, FIFA is moving forward with assault investigations against three Argentine individuals: Napoli defender Nahuel Molina, who faces two separate assault counts; Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Leandro Paredes, who is charged with three counts of assault; and Argentine assistant manager Roberto Ayala, who faces one assault allegation. All assault charges fall under Article 14 of FIFA’s official disciplinary code. Molina also faces an additional separate charge of unsporting behavior under the same article, a breach that Argentine attacking midfielder Thiago Almada and Spanish star midfielder Gavi are also accused of committing in the aftermath of the final.
Under FIFA’s existing disciplinary rules, unsporting conduct carries a minimum penalty of a one-match suspension for those found guilty, while assault convictions result in a minimum three-match ban. This investigation into post-final chaos is just one part of a wider set of disciplinary actions against the AFA, which is facing scrutiny for alleged misconduct spanning multiple matches throughout the 2026 World Cup tournament.
The broader charges against the Argentine FA include violations of four separate FIFA code articles: Article 13, which bans using sports events for non-sporting political demonstrations; Article 13, covering team misconduct; Article 15, which prohibits discrimination and racist abuse; and Article 17, which outlines requirements for maintaining match order and security. The Article 17 breaches specifically relate to alleged off-field incidents including discriminatory chants and gestures from fans and personnel, delayed kickoff times, inappropriate public messages displayed by both the team and spectators, and multiple cases of spectators throwing projectiles onto the pitch.
One of the most high-profile non-sporting demonstrations cited in the charges came after Argentina’s semi-final victory over England, when the squad displayed a banner supporting Argentina’s long-standing territorial claim to the Falkland Islands. The banner read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” translating to “The Falklands are Argentine.” FIFA first confirmed it was assessing reports of this banner incident on July 16, before opening the full collective disciplinary investigation into post-final violence on July 20.