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ZURICH (AP) - FIFA announced on Friday that Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi and Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo will not serve one-game bans at the World Cup, despite receiving red cards in their teams' final qualifying match.

This decision forms part of an unprecedented amnesty for most disciplinary actions related to World Cup qualifiers, as determined by the FIFA Bureau, which includes FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the leaders of six continental soccer bodies. Details of the Amnesty According to FIFA, "Single yellow cards and pending one- or two-match suspensions ... are not carried over to the final competition." This move aims to allow teams to field their strongest squads during the prestigious tournament, enhancing the competitive spirit of the event.

Context of the Decision This ruling follows a similar decision made by FIFA, which allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to avoid missing World Cup matches despite a red card received for elbowing an opponent during Portugal's qualifying match against Ireland last November. Ronaldo's remaining two-game ban was deferred for a probation period. Incidents Leading to Red Cards Both Otamendi and Caicedo were sent off during Ecuador's 1-0 victory over Argentina in September. Otamendi received a direct red card for a foul on an opponent, while Caicedo was shown a second yellow card for a hard tackle. As a result of the amnesty, their mandatory one-game bans will now be served in a different competition following the World Cup.

Upcoming Matches Argentina will commence its World Cup title defense against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City, while Ecuador will face Ivory Coast on June 14 in Philadelphia.