The Argentine national team will resume its activities after reaching the final of the 2026 World Cup. The next FIFA window will take place from September 21 to October 6, and the rivals are yet to be confirmed.
Initially, it was expected that details about the opponents and venues would be announced this Monday, but the confirmation has been postponed to Wednesday. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) plans for the team, led by Lionel Scaloni, to participate in three matches, although it could be just two. One of the matches would take place at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba, and the other at Estadio Monumental, home of River Plate. Burkina Faso (62nd in the FIFA Rankings) and Benin (93) are two of the potential opponents. The first match is scheduled for October 3, and the second for October 6. However, Burkina Faso had announced the match on their social media, although they later removed the post. If there is another match, it would take place before these dates. The AFA is in negotiations to finalize a friendly against a CONCACAF team.
According to a source from the AFA, “The list of call-ups will be the same or very similar to that which went to the World Cup, with the possibility of adding some players.” The roster is expected to be revealed in the coming days, possibly after the start of the Champions League. The situation regarding Lionel Messi, who announced his retirement from the Argentine national team, continues to cause uncertainty. The AFA hopes that the 39-year-old captain will participate in at least one more match with the Albiceleste to say goodbye to the fans and that his last image will not be tears after the World Cup final against Spain. “We would like Messi to come and say goodbye to the people in a match, but we want to respect his timeline and we don’t know if he will want to travel here after what he has gone through,” the same source stated, referring to the passing of his father, Jorge Messi.
Although the possibility of a trip to China was considered, those discussions did not materialize. These friendlies will also be crucial in defining Scaloni’s future. The coach has indicated he will fulfill the commitments for 2026 and then reconsider his position. “I feel the need to think because I no longer know if something as large as this can be done again. To continue, a lot of things are needed, especially resetting, re-forming a group like this, which is hard to recreate,” he elaborated in a recent press conference. Claudio Tapia, head of the AFA, plans to meet with Scaloni and his representative, Matías Aldao, in the coming days in hopes of persuading him to continue his tenure and aim for a third World Cup, as had been verbally agreed before the end of the World Cup. The last international window for 2026 is scheduled from November 9 to 17, where up to two friendlies can be held.
Source: www.infobae.com
