The FIFA World Cup was filled with controversies. While there was plenty of action on the field; there was plenty of it off-field. Investigations took place as a result and the the punishments have been dished out.
Argentina’s defeat in the football World Cup final defeat has come with a costly post-match hangover. FIFA has imposed a ban on Argentine midfielder, Leandro Paredes and a hefty fine for sparking a brawl after his side's loss to Spain. His team-mate, Nahuel Molina, has been similarly disciplined in a series of a decisions by the FIFA disciplinary committee.
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Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes has been given a 10-match ban for the role he played in on-field clashes after his side were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
FIFA's disciplinary committee has also handed his team-mate Nahuel Molina a seven-match suspension. Argentina have also been ordered to play their next two home matches with 50% capacity, though one match of that sanction is suspended.
The Argentinian Football Association (AFA) has been fined $321 000 (£235 000) for breaches of the FIFA disciplinary code relating to using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature, team misconduct, and discriminatory chants and gestures by its supporters.
FIFA have ordered that $100 000 (£73 000) of the fine must be invested in a plan to combat discrimination - and $100 000 (£73 000) of the fine is suspended, with a probationary period to apply.
After defeating England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final, several Argentina players held up a banner claiming Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory.
Also Read: Falklands Revisited
Last month, FIFA appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to assess what happened after the final whistle at the New York New Jersey Stadium, when multiple Argentina players and backroom staff were involved in altercations with Spain players.
As well as their suspensions, Paredes and Molina will both pay fines of $90 000 (£66 000). Paredes grabbed Eric Garcia by the throat and wrestled Spain's Gavi to the ground, before appearing to strike the latter in the face.
Gavi - who said he didn't think Paredes should be punished - will serve a one-match suspension and pay a fine of $30 000 (£22 000) for his part in the post-match confrontations; as will Argentina's Thiago Almada.
Roberto Ayala, a member of Argentina's coaching staff, has been given a three-match suspension and a fine of $30 000 for striking Spain's Dani Olmo in the face.
The match suspensions will only be enforced in international fixtures.
In addition, the fine of $321,000 includes a punishment for the Argentina team unveiling a "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" – the Malvinas are Argentinian – banner following their semi-final triumph against England.
It is a significant punishment, underlining how annoyed FIFA are at having their showpiece occasion, broadcast to an estimated 1.5bn people globally, tarnished by such awful scenes.
Argentina have been one of the world's best teams for some time. Today shows them to be one of the worst behaved. The AFA said it will appeal the sanctions, and if unsuccessful will take its case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Meanwhile, FIFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against several members of the Egyptian national team following the events at the 2026 World Cup.
Egypt reached the round of 16 for the first time in their history and the Arab side came within touching distance of the quarter-finals before Argentina's comeback denied them.
A narrow 3-2 defeat to Argentina ended their run at the finals held across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Head coach, Hossam Hassan, his brother Ibrahim, the team's manager and star man, Mustafa Zico, all launched angry attacks on the refereeing decisions in the wake of the elimination.
Hossam Hassan said at the time: "We were the better side today against Argentina, but football is not fair, and what happened was unjust, even though FIFA raises the banner of 'fair play'."
He added: "It is possible that marketing matters are the reason. They do not want (Lionel) Messi to go out, they want the world champion to continue in the World Cup."
Ibrahim Hassan told "On Sport": "We were leading Argentina by two goals to nil, and we were capable of continuing the journey, had it not been for the glaring refereeing errors that everyone witnessed, which revealed the truth before the world, after we were knocked out by someone's doing."
Zico's reaction became the most famous of all. He said: "Congratulations to Argentina on the World Cup. The tournament is rigged, the referee was unjust, from the start of the match he was against us, and he wasted the efforts of an entire nation. Were they going to let us beat Argentina 2-0? The tournament is rigged and congratulations to Argentina on the World Cup."
An official statement from the Egyptian Football Association confirmed FIFA had begun disciplinary proceedings against the twins and Zico, and that a response is being prepared.
The statement read: "The Egyptian federation is following the disciplinary proceedings that the International Federation of Association Football has begun against Hossam Hassan, the national team's head coach, Ibrahim Hassan, the team's manager, and the player Mustafa Zico, on the back of their statements after the Egypt v Argentina match at the 2026 World Cup."
It added: "The federation affirms its respect for FIFA's regulations and procedures, and the necessary responses and legal memoranda will be submitted within the specified deadlines, while confirming its support and backing for those concerned by the proceedings and the defence of the rights of Egyptian football, through official channels."
The statement continued: "The federation also stresses its respect for the principles of fair play and the organising bodies, while retaining its full right to defend the interests of the technical staff and the players before the competent bodies at FIFA."
FIFA had already fined goalkeeping coach Saafan Al-Sagheer for objecting to the decisions of the Argentina match referee on the pitch.
I fully agree with the punishments that were dished out. The actions weren't necessary. It was a bad reaction to a loss. Argentina should accept the punishments. I don't see any logical reason why or how their appeal will be successful.