Argentina should be hosting Burkina Faso on October 3, 2026. However, 24 hours before the game, the away team hasn’t even taken flight to arrive to the place of the game, just moments prior to Lionel Messi‘s international retire.
Per Infobae, the plane scheduled to transport the African squad from Morocco to Buenos Aires has not yet taken off. The original plan called for them to arrive in Argentina on the night of Tuesday, September 29, yet three days later, Burkina Faso still have not even departed Morocco.
Behind-the-scenes details state that the African squad had agreed on a set of conditions to be provided by the AFA. However, those conditions ultimately failed to materialize. Faced with this situation, the players decided to delay their trip until the agreed-upon terms were met.
Burkina Faso made a statement
The Burkina Faso Football Federation (FBF) issued a statement shortly after midday on Friday (Argentina time). “The Burkina Faso Football Federation wishes to inform the general public… about the situation currently facing the Burkina Faso delegation in Morocco regarding their trip to Buenos Aires for the international friendly match between Argentina and Burkina Faso.
The national team’s travel plans were disrupted after the company chartering the aircraft cancelled—without prior notice—the flight originally scheduled for September 30. This cancellation necessitated a reorganization of the delegation’s itinerary,” they stated.
Was the Burkina Faso’s game Lionel Messi’s farewell?
Burkina Faso was the second-to-last game in this FIFA international window. Thankfully for Argentina, Messi’s last game with the ‘Albiceleste‘ is scheduled to be on October, 6 vs. Benin.
Hence, Messi’s farewell isn’t in actual jeopardy. In that regard, no one should be sweating that part. However, organizationally, AFA would be in deep trouble to be able to refund all the fans attending the game against Burkina Faso, if it so happens that the game doesn’t take place.
Key takeaways
- Burkina Faso’s charter flight from Morocco to Buenos Aires was canceled, leaving the squad stranded.
- The visiting team delayed travel due to unfulfilled financial and organizational conditions from AFA.
- Lionel Messi’s international farewell remains on track for the October 6 match against Benin.
