Unlike what happened in recent seasons, Asociación del Fútbol Argentino confirmed that in 2026 there will be no amnesty for players who were sanctioned at the end of last year. This way, those who have accumulated five yellow cards, have been sent off, or received disciplinary sanctions will have to serve them from the start of the official competition.
The measure marks a break with what happened in 2023, 2024, and 2025, when AFA, presided over by Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, had decreed the pardon before the start of the calendar. However, only four days before the formal start of the season, which will get underway with the Copa Argentina, it was confirmed that there will be no forgiveness for suspended players.
The decision doesn't seem to be accidental, since this time it fully affects one of the main enemies of the current administration of the headquarters of Argentine soccer: Estudiantes de La Plata. After the guard of honor turned away from Rosario Central's players because of the controversial title awarded at a desk, Pincha suffered various sanctions imposed by the Disciplinary Tribunal, among them the two-match suspension of the 11 starters.
Estudiantes perderá a 11 jugadores en las primeras dos fechas del año
For this reason, they will not be able to be in the debut of the Copa Argentina against Ituzaingó or in the first matchday of the 2026 Torneo Apertura against Independiente away. The affected players are:
Fernando Muslera
Román Gómez
Santiago Núñez
Tiago Palacios
Facundo Farías
Leandro González Pírez
Santiago Arzamendia
Edwin Cetré
Ezequiel Piovi
Cristián Medina
Mikel Amondarain
The other clubs with suspended members
Meanwhile, Ignacio Malcorra will also have to serve a suspension, since he was sent off when he wore the Rosario Central jersey. The midfielder has already served one match against Estudiantes, but, after Canalla's elimination, he will miss the Apertura debut. In the same situation is Rodrigo Fernández Cedrés, who will also not be able to be there at the start.
The list of absences is completed by César Ibáñez and Frank Darío Kudelka (Huracán), Ricardo "Ruso" Zielinski (Belgrano), Ramón Arias (Tigre), Agustín Bouzat and Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Vélez), in addition to Jhohan Romaña and Nery Domínguez (San Lorenzo).
Regarding the Copa Argentina, Independiente Rivadavia will also suffer significant absences. Because of the incidents in the final against Argentinos Juniors, Franco Amarfil, Alejo Osella, and Matías Fernández will have to serve their suspensions, as will coach Alfredo Berti.
