Fireworks erupted at the end of Argentina and Spain’s World Cup final when players from both sides locked horns.
Twenty-four hours later, it appears that FIFA has taken notice of the chatter that took place following the brief brawl, which revolved around Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina and Gavi, among other participants.
With that, here’s what you need to know about FIFA’s investigation into the Argentines’ dust-up with the Spaniards on Sunday afternoon.
Argentina-Spain fight investigation
FIFA’s disciplinary committee announced that it was appointing a disciplinary and ethics committee and launching an investigation into Argentina and Spain’s post-match fracas.
The incident, which took place following the final whistle, saw several Argentine players get into physical altercations with members of La Roja. Molina, Leandro Paredes and Thiago Almada appeared to be at the heart of the confrontations. Spaniards Rodri, Eric Garcia and Gavi were also caught in the mayhem.
Initial reports suggested that Paredes was issued a red card for his involvement in the squabble. FIFA confirmed to the BBC that no disciplinary action was taken against the Argentine midfielder during the match.
Argentina-Spain post-match fight
The skirmish took place moments after referee Slavko Vincic blew his whistle to signify the end of Sunday’s match. Molina appeared to make the first blow, striking Rodri in the chest as the Spain midfielder raced towards his teammates. Rodri traded some words with Molina before Garcia stormed onto the scene.
Y esto de Molina a Rodri a santo de qué fue.
En el Atleti no le recuerdo nada parecido a esto. pic.twitter.com/2fMyvxPnWN
— Iván (@IvaanBlanco26) July 20, 2026
Garcia’s intervention sparked a response from Paredes. The Argentina midfielder appeared to attempt to grab Garcia by the throat, setting off additional fireworks.
wtf is Paredes doing????????🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 pic.twitter.com/vNNwOcZoEP
— Sugerkick123 (@shida47520) July 19, 2026
Youngster Gavi stepped in, appearing to attempt to throw a strike at Paredes. The Argentina midfielder responded by knocking the Barcelona youngster to the ground.
🚨 Gavi and Leandro Paredes clash after the final whistle of Spain vs Argentina. pic.twitter.com/LUhO28oXAr
— goalpostFC (@GoalpostFC) July 19, 2026
🚨🥊 Full scenes after final whistle.@MickyJnr__ 🎥 pic.twitter.com/ZXCvAFkHwy
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 20, 2026
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni eventually got involved, shepherding his players away as Spain’s celebrations carried on.
Tempers flare after the final whistle of the FIFA World Cup Final as Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni is there to break it up pic.twitter.com/43wXZDGgCO
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026
Who was involved in Argentina-Spain fight?
All told, six players and one coach appeared to be involved in the quarrel. They are as follows:
Argentina
- Leandro Paredes
- Nahuel Molina
- Thiago Almada
- Assistant coach Roberto Ayala
Spain
Will Argentina be punished for post-match fight?
At present, it’s unclear if Argentina will be punished for their role in the post-match brawl. Neither Paredes, Molina, Almada nor Ayala faced disciplinary action at the time from referee Slavko Vincic. However, FIFA’s decision to investigate the matter does suggest some bans, fines or both could be coming down the pipe soon.
Paredes and Molina appear the likeliest to face severe action. Video replay of their incidents appears to indicate that they were the primary instigators in the dust-up. Molina deliberately made contact with Rodri. And although the contact wasn’t all that significant, such a deliberate collision would likely yield a three-game ban under Chapter 2, Section 14 of FIFA’s official rulebook had it occurred in the midst of a match.
If FIFA were to determine that Molina’s blow met the criteria to be defined as violent conduct, it’s likely that the Argentine defender would be suspended three games.
Paredes’ infraction, meanwhile, looks almost certain to bring about a lengthy ban. While Molina’s flick at Rodri was petulant, Paredes appeared to attempt to grab Garcia’s throat. Rarely does that gesture not result in a violent conduct suspension of three games or more.
In 2021, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was suspended two games for grabbing the throat of New York City FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson. While MLS and FIFA are distinctly different entities, the fact remains: it’s hard to escape severe punishment for a throat grab.
There’s also the possibility that Argentina’s FA is issued a hefty fine.
Will Spain be punished for post-match fight?
Spain’s players are likely to escape punishment, with the exception being Gavi, who appeared to deliberately attempt to strike Paredes.
If FIFA were to deem Gavi’s flick as violent conduct, he, too, could face a temporary ban from international competition.
Neither he nor his Spanish teammates seem too worried about the prospect of Gavi missing significant time, however. They made that abundantly clear during their celebration parade in Madrid on Monday.
Lamine Yamal holding a sign that says, “Event of the year: Paredes vs. Gavi” 💀 pic.twitter.com/yDFHwcnKx1
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 20, 2026
