One week after the shock announcement of Lionel Messi‘s retirement from Argentina, the AFA is adjusting details for the upcoming FIFA international friendlies, though the opponents remain to be finalized.
According to Telemundo’s Veronica Brunatti, Argentina are beginning to finalize their schedule and opponents for the upcoming FIFA window. The AFA is negotiating with Burkina Faso to face them on Oct. 3 and Benin on Oct. 6, with both matches expected to be played in Argentina.
Initially, the opponents and venues were expected to be announced on Monday; however, confirmation was pushed to Wednesday. Additionally, the AFA is still waiting for a ruling from world soccer’s governing body to determine whether the matches will receive official Class A friendly designation.
In pursuit of quality friendlies
The AFA is managing suspensions for three players following incidents in the 2026 World Cup final: Leandro Paredes with a 10-match ban, Nahuel Molina with seven, and Thiago Almada with one. The sanctions were approved by FIFA following a request from the AFA so they can be served during Class A friendlies or official commitments.
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina is seen with teammates.
A key point is that FIFA does not automatically guarantee that matches played in Argentina will be classified as Class A friendlies. If they are not approved as such, the three players will not serve their match bans. To avoid that scenario, the intention is to hold the FIFA window in Argentina.
The potential matchups against the African nations would also maintain a recent trend for Argentina. In 2026, the Albiceleste already faced Mauritania and Zambia in friendlies played before the World Cup, securing victories in both matches.
Will Messi be involved?
Everything points to Messi no longer being involved in these matches due to his retirement. However, the only remaining possibility is that the opportunity is used to host a farewell for Messi, giving him the chance to play one final match with the team.
