Gianluca Prestianni will miss Argentina’s first two games of the World Cup if he makes the final roster for this summer’s tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
FIFA announced on Wednesday it has accepted UEFA’s request to apply Prestianni’s ban worldwide for verbally abusing Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior during a February Champions League match.
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UEFA handed out a six-game suspension after Vinícius Júnior alleged that Prestianni directed a racist slur his way. The 20-year-old Benfica winger denied the allegations, reportedly saying he used a homophobic slur.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the six-match ban imposed by UEFA on Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni to have worldwide effect,” FIFA said in a statement.
Prestianni is eligible to play in Benfica’s final two league games and Argentina’s friendly on June 7 against Honduras as this ruling applies to UEFA competitions or competitive FIFA matches.
If Prestianni does not make the Argentina squad, his suspension will carry over into UEFA competitions next season.
FIFA will officially announce World Cup final rosters on June 2, but some federations can unveil their squads before that date.
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Argentina, the reigning World Cup champion, begins play on June 16 against Algeria before finishing group stage matches against Austria and Jordan.
Prestianni has only made one appearance for La Albiceleste, but was part of their roster during the March international window.
The Prestianni incident resulted in the International Football Association Board, soccer’s rulemakers, approving a proposal that would allow referees to issue red cards to players who cover their mouths during confrontations beginning with the 2026 World Cup.
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