Spain moved decisively Monday to fill the void left by the cancellation of the 2026 Finalissima against Argentina, confirming a friendly against Serbia on March 27.
“The Spanish national team will host Serbia in an international friendly next Friday, March 27, at 9:00 PM local time,” the federation announced on its official website. The high-profile clash is set for Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, serving as a replacement for the scrapped Doha-based fixture.
With Spain entering the final stages of preparation for the 2026 World Cup, Luis de la Fuente will use the Balkan test to begin finalizing his 26-man roster.
While Argentina have yet to officially lock in a replacement for the March 27 date, rumors emerged regarding advanced talks for a pre-World Cup friendly.
Dani Carvajal targets international return
After a grueling recovery from a major knee injury sustained last year, Dani Carvajal appears poised to rejoin the national setup for the March double-header.
Having successfully integrated back into the Real Madrid rotation this winter, Carvajal is a lock for the call-up alongside fellow Merengue star Gonzalo Garcia.
Finalissima hopes fade as cancellation becomes permanent
Despite late attempts by the AFA to postpone the 2026 Finalissima to a later window, UEFA confirmed Sunday that the fixture has been officially scrapped. Disagreements over neutral venues in Europe and Argentina’s rejection of multiple alternative dates ultimately ended the possibility of the clash.
Four years after Argentina’s dominant victory over Italy in the inaugural edition, the intercontinental trophy will go unawarded this cycle.
SURVEY Do you think the Finalissima should have been played in another date?
Do you think the Finalissima should have been played in another date?
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