FIFA have extended Gianluca Prestianni’s ban for homophobic conduct globally, meaning he could now miss Argentina’s first two games at the 2026 World Cup.
Prestianni was sanctioned by UEFA following a high-profile clash with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, but will now see his club-level suspension apply to international competitive fixtures.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has confirmed it will uphold a request from UEFA to apply Prestianni’s current suspension across all jurisdictions of the game.
According to The Athletic, a FIFA spokesperson on Wednesday stated : “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the six-match ban imposed by UEFA on SL Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni to have worldwide effect.”
Gianluca Prestianni of SL Benfica during the Primeira Liga match against Sporting. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
The fallout from this decision is significant for both club and country. While the six-match suspension was originally restricted to UEFA-organised competitions, the global extension means the 20-year-old is now ineligible for selection in competitive FIFA games, including the upcoming World Cup in North America.
Should Prestianni be named in Argentina’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, he would be forced to sit out the group stage openers against Algeria and Austria.
The winger was called up by the world champions in the March squad for friendlies against Mauritania and Zambia after gaining his senior debut in November 2025.
