By Afnan Khalifah
FIFA has clarified that Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes was not shown a red card after the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, following confusion caused by an error in its commentator information system.
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to lift its second FIFA World Cup title and its first since 2010. However, the celebrations were overshadowed by a post-match brawl involving players and team officials from both sides.
Paredes was at the center of one of the most serious incidents. Television footage appeared to show the Argentine midfielder grabbing Spain defender Eric García by the throat and bringing him to the ground. Spain midfielder Gavi was also involved as players exchanged shoves before teammates and officials intervened to restore order.
Initial reports suggested that Paredes had been sent off after the final whistle. However, FIFA later confirmed that no red card had been issued. According to BBC Sport, Paredes was mistakenly listed as having received a red card in FIFA’s commentator information system. The erroneous entry was removed shortly afterward, with FIFA clarifying that it was a reporting error and did not reflect the match officials’ decisions.
READ: Argentina football federation to consider legal action over 2026 FIFA World Cup misinformation (July 22, 2026)
USA TODAY also reported that FIFA’s official match tracker briefly displayed a red card for Paredes before it was deleted. FIFA subsequently confirmed that no disciplinary sanction had been imposed on the Argentina midfielder after the match.
The clarification does not preclude future disciplinary action. FIFA has appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to investigate the post-match confrontation. The probe could result in sanctions against players, coaches, team officials, or other individuals found to have violated FIFA’s disciplinary code.
READ: Ferran Torres powers Spain to dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 title (July 19, 2026)
Other members of Argentina’s delegation could also come under scrutiny. Video footage appeared to show defender Nahuel Molina striking Spain captain Rodri during the altercation, while Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala was involved in a heated exchange with Spain midfielder Dani Olmo.
The confrontation marred an otherwise historic night for Spain. Substitute Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the 106th minute from a headed assist by Nico Williams, sealing the country’s second World Cup crown.
The confusion surrounding Paredes underscores how quickly inaccurate information can spread during major sporting events. While FIFA has confirmed that no red card was issued to the midfielder, it remains to be seen whether the governing body’s ongoing disciplinary investigation will result in sanctions against Paredes or any of the other participants in the post-match brawl.