Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team received a significant boost on Thursday following FIFA‘s confirmation of individual suspensions stemming from the 2026 World Cup final. In a pivotal ruling, FIFA granted a request allowing Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and Thiago Almada to serve their match suspensions during international friendlies rather than exclusively in official competitive fixtures.
Following the heated altercations after the final whistle in the 2026 World Cup, several Argentina players and coaching staff members faced severe disciplinary action from the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. While the Argentine Football Association (AFA) was hit with a $321,000 overall fine for multiple organizational violations, the post-match brawl led to lengthy bans for key squad members.
In terms of individual penalties, Leandro Paredes received a 10-match suspension and a $90,000 fine for grabbing Spain’s Eric Garcia by the neck during the post-match brawl. Nahuel Molina was issued a seven-match ban and a $90,000 fine following a clash with Rodri, while Thiago Almada received a one-match ban and a $30,000 fine, and assistant coach Roberto Ayala received a three-match touchline ban accompanied by a $30,000 fine.
A major strategic victory for Argentina
These suspensions threatened a major operational hurdle for Lionel Messi and Argentina, potentially sidelining key starters across entire international windows given the limited fixture schedule for national teams each year. While the AFA appealed the severity of the bans, FIFA provided immediate relief by approving a procedural modification.
Leandro Paredes #5 of Argentina and Eric Garcia #4 of Spain have words after the World Cup 2026 Final.
On Thursday, August 27, the AFA confirmed it submitted a formal petition asking FIFA to permit the suspensions to be served across upcoming Class “A” international friendlies or official CONMEBOL fixtures, whichever occur first. An official statement from the federation confirmed that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee granted the request in full.
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Rather than waiting for the 2030 CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers or the 2028 Copa America to burn off match bans, Paredes, Molina, and Almada can fulfill their suspensions during upcoming exhibition matches on the national team calendar.
Despite the favorable ruling on venue eligibility, the AFA noted it will continue pursuing legal avenues to reduce the overall length of the bans once FIFA releases its full written justification: “Notwithstanding this, the Argentine Football Association, in defense of its rights and those of its players, is awaiting the grounds of the decisions in order to file the corresponding appeals before the FIFA Appeal Committee, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) eventually serving as the final instance.“
When could Argentina’s stars return from suspension?
The procedural modification completely reshapes Argentina’s roster availability, enabling Messi to rejoin his suspended teammates much sooner than originally anticipated. However, the timeline hinges on how many exhibition matches the federation schedules during upcoming FIFA windows.
During the extended September-October international window, Argentina can schedule up to four friendlies, alongside two potential fixtures in the November 2026 window. With standard double-header windows scheduled for March, June, September, October, and November 2027 before World Cup qualifying begins, Almada, Molina, and Ayala should clear their suspensions before official competitive play starts, leaving only Paredes facing a brief remaining absence.
