FIFA
Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay to play behind closed doors as Brazil escapes with fine
FIFA has sanctioned various national teams to different degrees with some having to partially close the stadium and other only paying fines.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has imposed sanctions including partial stadium closures for the upcoming matches of the national teams of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay due to incidents during the World Cup 2026 qualifiers played since last September. FIFA confirmed on Wednesday the decisions of its disciplinary body, which also include financial penalties for these four teams, as well as for the national teams of Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Stadium half full for Argentina
Argentina is required to close at least 50% of the seating capacity in its stadium for the next match and pay a fine of 50,000 Swiss Francs (c.$59,000), which will be invested in an anti-discrimination plan, plus an additional fine of 20,000 Swiss Francs. A further sanction of 50,000 Swiss Francs is conditional for six months based on the compliance with the mentioned plan.
The sanctions against Argentina were imposed due to delays in the match against Ecuador in September, discriminatory behavior of its fans, field invasion against Uruguay, and lack of order in and around the stadium against Brazil in November.
Chile also faces a 50% stadium closure for its next match due to discriminatory behavior by its fans and delays against Colombia in September and Peru in October; along with a fine of 80,000 Swiss Francs for an anti-discrimination plan. Non-compliance with this plan within six months will result in an additional fine of 50,000 Swiss Francs. Chile must also pay 5,000 Swiss Francs for team misconduct (5 individual sanctions) in their September match against Uruguay.
Colombia’s next match will be played with at least 25% of its stadium closed, receiving a fine of 30,000 Swiss Francs for investing in an anti-discrimination plan, due to delays and discriminatory behavior of its fans against Chile last September. Additional fines include 500 Swiss Francs for object throwing and delays in the match against Uruguay in October. The Colombian team also faces another conditional fine of 50,000 Swiss Francs for compliance with the plan within six months.
Uruguay must close at least 25% of its stadium for the next match and pay a fine of 30,000 Swiss Francs for an anti-discrimination plan, due to delays against Colombia and Brazil and discriminatory behavior of its fans against Argentina. Non-compliance with the plan within six months will lead to an additional sanction of 50,000 Swiss Francs.
Brazil fined for delay and pitch invasion
Additional FIFA sanctions include fines for Brazil (5,000 Swiss Francs for delay and pitch invasion against Bolivia in September; 15,000 for team misconduct against Uruguay in October; and 50,000 for failing to ensure order in the stadium and surrounding areas against Argentina in November), Bolivia (5,000 Swiss Francs for team misconduct against Paraguay in October), Ecuador (5,000 for field invasion against Uruguay in September), Paraguay (4,000 for object throwing against Colombia in November), and Peru (7,500 for field invasion against Argentina in October and 10,000 for delay against Bolivia in November).
In the players’ section, the Disciplinary Committee sanctioned Chilean Víctor Méndez and Paraguayan Robert Rojas with two-match bans, both expelled in the match between their teams in November; Bolivian Roberto Carlos Fernández, expelled against Argentina in September, and Brazilian Joelinton Cássio, also red-carded against Argentina last November.