The sanction imposed by UEFA on Gianluca Prestianni following his incident with Vinicius Jr. during the Champions League match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid has now been extended globally by FIFA.
This decision significantly impacts the Argentine’s chances of participating in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What happened?
The incident occurred in February during a Champions League playoff match in Lisbon.
Following a goal by Vinicius, Prestianni was seen covering his mouth while addressing the Brazilian forward, leading to a stoppage in play as the referee activated anti-discrimination protocols.
Vinicius alleged racial abuse, and was backed by his teammate Kylian Mbappe, leading to UEFA opening an investigation.
While racist insults could not be proven, homophobic remarks were confirmed and led to the punishment.
Ban extended worldwide. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Following the investigation, Prestianni received a six-match ban by UEFA, three of which are suspended pending future conduct. He has already served one match retroactively – the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Prestianni to miss two World Cup matches
Now, FIFA has has confirmed that the disciplinary sanction imposed on the Benfica winger will be extended to have worldwide effect.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the six-match ban imposed by UEFA on SL Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni so that it has worldwide effect,” a FIFA spokesperson explained.
“The sanction has been extended in accordance with Article 70 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.”
Having already served one match of the suspension, Prestianni will now be ineligible to play for Argentina in their first two matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup starting next month.
The decision now rests with La Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni. If he includes Prestianni in the squad, he will be unavailable for at least the first two matches.
Source: AS
