FIFA extends ban on Gianluca Prestianni for abusing Vinicius Jr during Real Madrid match, winger to miss FIFA World Cup 2026 matches for Lionel Messi’s Argentina

FIFA has confirmed a global suspension for Gianluca Prestianni, extending the punishment given earlier by UEFA. The decision means the Benfica winger could miss two matches at the upcoming FIFA World Cup in the United States if he is selected for Argentina national team. The ban comes after an incident involving alleged verbal abuse during a Champions League match.

UEFA had earlier handed the young winger a six-match suspension, with half of the games suspended under probation. The punishment followed a complaint involving Vinicius Junior during a match against Real Madrid. FIFA has now made that sanction effective worldwide. This ensures the disciplinary action applies not only in European competitions but also in international tournaments, including the World Cup.

Global ban on Gianluca Prestianni puts his FIFA World Cup 2026 participation in doubt

FIFA confirmed that its disciplinary panel has enforced UEFA’s decision globally. In its statement, the FIFA stated that the suspension given to Prestianni will now apply across all competitions worldwide. This means the winger will not be eligible to play during the early part of the World Cup if he is included in Argentina’s squad.

The situation creates uncertainty around Prestianni’s international future. Lionel Scaloni is yet to confirm his final squad. Argentina will begin their campaign against Algeria before facing Austria and Jordan in the group stage. Prestianni has limited experience at the international level. He has only played once for Argentina and was recently on the bench in a warm-up match.

The controversy began during a Champions League game. Vinícius accused Prestianni of using offensive language. His teammate Kylian Mbappé supported the complaint. They complained that Prestianni used the word “monkey" in Spanish, which translates to “mono”. UEFA investigated the matter but did not find enough proof of racist language. However, Prestianni admitted to using inappropriate words, which led to the suspension.

He has already served part of his ban in European competition. The remaining matches will now affect his availability globally. Meanwhile, football authorities are taking stricter steps to prevent such incidents. IFAB recently approved a rule change. Covering the mouth while insulting an opponent can now result in a red card.

If Prestianni is not selected for the World Cup, he will continue serving his suspension in European competitions next season.




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