“We are two-time Finalissima champions. They didn’t show up,” Dominguez said when asked about the situation following the 2026 Finalissima canceled, responding sharply to a journalist who described the outcome as unfortunate.

The exchange grew more pointed when the reporter suggested it would have been valuable to see the champions of Conmebol and UEFA face off. Dominguez challenged the premise before doubling down on his stance, reinforcing the narrative that Argentina’s title status remains intact despite the match never being played.

Finalissima cancellation adds tension between CONMEBOL and UEFA

The Finalissima was originally scheduled to take place at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, but regional conflicts forced organizers to reconsider both the venue and timing. Conmebol later revealed that Argentina proposed moving the match to March 31 in Italy, but UEFA considered the date unsuitable, effectively halting plans.

Spain moves on as Argentina’s status sparks debate

While uncertainty continues around a possible rescheduling, Spain has already adjusted its calendar, confirming an alternative fixture. Dominguez’s comments, however, have intensified debate, as Argentina’s claim to being recognized as two-time Finalissima champions hinges on a match that was never played. With no resolution in place, the situation leaves both sporting and political implications unresolved heading into 2026.

“Unfortunately, UEFA stated that holding the match on March 31—only four days after the original proposed date—was not possible, resulting in the cancellation of the Finalissima,” the Conmebol statement read.

In a statement, UEFA acknowledged Argentina‘s request to play on March 31, but deemed the date “unworkable.”

The original plan for the 2026 Finalissima

The original scheduled date for the 2026 Finalissima was March 27 at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. However, due to the geopolitical situation affecting the region, UEFA and Conmebol worked to find an alternative venue.

Both governing bodies thanked Qatar for its effort to host the match and claimed that they worked together to find a solution, but failed to reach an agreement on the alternative venue or date.

The other options that were on the table for Argentina vs. Spain

Argentina rejected UEFA’s proposal to play on March 27 at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, feeling that such scenario would benefit Spain, who would be playing on home soil.

UEFA expressed disappointment in a statement, revealing it guaranteed Argentina a 50:50 split of supporters to ensure neutrality. It also offered to split the Finalissima over two legs, an option allegedly rejected by Argentina as well.

Argentina vs. Spain Finalissima might not take place in 2026

The Finalissima could reportedly be rescheduled, but there are not many available dates in 2026.

The Spanish national team has Nations League fixtures in September and October, which is why UEFA ruled out Argentina’s petition to play the Finalissima after the World Cup.

This situation practically leaves no room for a Finalissima before the 2026 World Cup. It remains to be seen whether Spain and Argentina remain interested in playing this match after the big tournament.

According to Edul, CONMEBOL proposed to UEFA that the Finalissima be played in Italy—likely in Rome—on March 31. Should the European delegation reject the proposal, the insider noted that the match would be canceled.

Amid this uncertainty, various European media outlets are reporting that the Finalissima is headed toward cancellation. Currently, neither UEFA nor CONMEBOL has issued a response regarding a possible rescheduling, and a final decision is expected to be known in the coming hours or early Sunday.

The South American entity’s stance regarding the possibility of playing at the Santiago Bernabeu is entirely negative, as they consider that Spain would be the home team in that context, while the match should take place on neutral ground. However, reports indicate that UEFA has no intention of playing it anywhere other than the home of Real Madrid, which is creating a dispute within the situation.

What happens if the match is canceled?

The suspension of the Finalissima is a possibility that has been gaining momentum as both organizations have failed to reach an agreement on a venue. However, this would create a significant problem for both Argentina and Spain, as this is the final international window before the start of the 2026 World Cup.

Should the match be canceled, both national teams would need to arrange at least one friendly match to serve as preparation before heading to the tournament in North America. Amid this scenario, according to the European outlet Marca, Spain are reportedly considering a friendly game against Serbia on Spanish soil.

On the Argentine side, according to insider Gustavo Yarroch, there is a possibility that Lionel Scaloni’s squad could train for a week in Buenos Aires if the Finalissima is called off. Eventually, an attempt would be made to organize at least one friendly on Argentine soil to serve as a farewell match for the team before they depart for North America.

In general terms, and based on the positions of UEFA and CONMEBOL, the preferred option would be a home-and-away format. One match would be played in Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, as proposed by UEFA, and the other in Argentina in Buenos Aires at the Estadio Monumental, as suggested by CONMEBOL.

However, that option appears to be the least viable because of scheduling and availability issues. There is only one FIFA international window remaining before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is when the Finalissima was originally expected to be played. Reaching an agreement on a neutral venue has also proven difficult due to ongoing disagreements.

When will the decision be known?

According to Gaston Edul, UEFA and CONMEBOL have postponed the decision regarding the venue for the Finalissima between Spain and Argentina until March 14.

Stadiums that could host the match

The Stadio Olimpico, Wembley Stadium, and Estadio da Luz are currently in contention. The Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid has been ruled out after UEFA initially proposed it without consulting CONMEBOL or the Argentine Football Association. The Monumental Stadium of River Plate is also out of consideration because the venue is already booked during those dates.

Spain alternative if the Finalissima does not happen

Spain are considering friendly matches in case the Finalissima does not take place. According to reports from Marca, the Royal Spanish Football Federation is working to arrange a friendly against Serbia on Spanish soil if no resolution for the Finalissima is reached.

Serbia emerged as the primary alternative because their schedule was disrupted by the cancellation of the Qatar Football Festival 2026 in Doha. Managed by Veljko Paunovic, the Serbian squad was originally set to face the Qatar national team on March 26 and the Saudi Arabia national team four days later.

Marca also notes that a match between Spain and Serbia could still take place even if the Finalissima proceeds, since Spain’s previously scheduled friendly against Egypt on March 30 has been canceled.

The search for a new location intensified after Qatar was ruled out as the original host. While the Spanish contingent proposed the Santiago Bernabeu, Argentina firmly rejected playing in Madrid or anywhere in Spain, maintaining that the match must be held on neutral ground to ensure competitive fairness.

In response, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has prepared a counteroffer to relocate the final to a neutral European city, with Lisbon (Estadio do Dragao), Rome (Stadio Olimpico), and London (Wembley) emerging as the primary candidates.

Meanwhile, AFA President Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia briefly suggested Buenos Aires as a potential host. However, the Estadio Monumental faces a major logistical hurdle: the legendary rock band AC/DC is scheduled to perform at the stadium on March 23, 27, and 31, effectively eliminating the venue as a possibility for the match date.

The options on the table

Following the intense back-and-forth to secure a venue for the 2026 Finalissima, only three viable options remain. The first involves Argentina finally accepting the proposal to play in Spain; however, this appears to have been largely discarded from the current plans.

The second, and currently most likely, option is for UEFA to accept the request from AFA and CONMEBOL to relocate the match to a different European city. Both organizations are reportedly working around the clock to secure a neutral stadium that can handle the logistics on such short notice.

The final possibility is that the 2026 Finalissima is either canceled or postponed to a later date. This outcome is the least desirable for both Argentina and Spain, as both squads are determined to play the match to capitalize on their final competitive window before the start of the 2026 World Cup.

Following official statements from Claudio Fabian Tapia, president of the AFA, after discussions and meetings, he shared a clear message on social media. “Tonight we will speak with president Alejandro Dominguez about the Finalissima. From the Argentine Soccer Association and CONMEBOL we believe that the Estadio Monumental is the ideal stage to host this great final.”

This came after the Royal Spanish Soccer Federation proposed the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium as the venue for the matchup, amid uncertainty about whether the game could take place at Lusail Stadium in Qatar.

The Finalissima, scheduled for March 27, will feature the reigning champions of the Copa America and the UEFA European Championship. Both national teams are also considered among the main contenders to compete for the title at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

What are the options if it is not in Spain or Argentina?

After the misunderstandings and the lack of a final decision regarding the venue for the Finalissima, several alternative options remain on the table. The first, CONMEBOL agreeing to play the match in Spain or UEFA agreeing to play the match in Argentina, is currently considered the least likely outcome.

The second and most viable option involves securing a venue in a neutral European country, which is the AFA’s primary objective. In recent days, Lisbon, London and Rome have emerged as strong candidates to host the Finalissima, as the major stadiums in those cities have no events scheduled for the March 27 date.

The final alternative is a postponement. However, both federations are reluctant to delay the match again, given the difficulty of finding a new date in an already congested calendar. The game was initially planned for 2025, but it was postponed due to scheduling conflicts between both sides.

According to RNE Deportes, “Tomorrow, a high-level meeting will take place where a definitive decision will be made with UEFA, CONMEBOL and the Qatari government regarding the Finalissima. The Estadio da Luz in Lisbon would be the host venue if the Qatari authorities accept a contract termination, which is currently the biggest hurdle in trying to find an alternative.

“The Stadio Olimpico in Rome would be the other alternative to Doha, although the Lisbon option is currently well ahead.” Given the circumstances and the security concerns surrounding the situation, it appears increasingly likely that, for the safety of both the athletes and the fans attending the event, the match could be moved to another location.

In addition, those venues represent strong options because the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon and the Stadio Olimpico in Rome will not have scheduled activity during the March FIFA international window, meaning both stadiums are available to host the Finalissima.

A sign that it could still be played in Qatar

Those alternatives could ultimately be ruled out depending on the agreement that is reached. However, one important factor to note is that soccer will return to Qatar this Thursday, March 12, in a move that signals apparent normality and could help stabilize plans for the Finalissima to be played in Doha on March 27, as originally scheduled.

Throughout this week, national competitions will resume, including the QSL. Three matches were rescheduled for Thursday, and since Saturday, teams have already returned to training while taking heightened security measures due to the tension that remains in the region.

The Finalissima venue still belongs to Doha despite the alternatives that have been mentioned in recent days. The coming days will be crucial in determining what ultimately happens with the event that has drawn major attention because it will feature two of the best national teams in the world, Spain and Argentina.

According to The Athletic, the Copa America could return to the United States in 2028, as new conversations between Concacaf and Conmebol explore the possibility of repeating the host nation from the 2016 and 2024 editions. The discussions put the U.S. back at the center of the international soccer landscape, further enriching a calendar that already includes the Olympic Games and the buildup to the 2026 World Cup.

Although Ecuador and Argentina remain in the mix, record revenue projections, elite infrastructure, and the strategic value of the U.S. market strongly support another agreement.

In essence, Conmebol aims to stage the Copa America in stadiums and cities fully capable of hosting World Cup-level matches—requirements that, realistically, few South American countries can meet at scale. For that reason, the United States once again emerge as the favorites to land the 2028 edition.

Ecuador’s case, the other option that emerged for the 2028 Copa America

Ecuador previously expressed interest in hosting the 2028 Copa America. However, Francisco Egas, president of the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF), publicly stepped back from that possibility. “Whether it is possible or impossible to host the Copa America depends on how much the country is willing to invest. If the investment is made, I believe it could happen. With what we currently have, it is impossible,” he told La Radio Redonda in Guayaquil.

Still, Ecuador’s president, Daniel Noboa, renewed the country’s bid in 2024, stating: “To that half of the world that has not seen you since ’93, that dreams of you, that longs for you, that wants to experience you again…”

In a special video released in February 2024, President Noboa used social media to highlight Ecuador as a safe territory and project it as “an example, not a failure—one capable of hosting the Copa America,” he said in an interview with CNN.

Argentina as one of the preferred host candidates

Even so, the federation has not ruled out Argentina, as reported by German Carrara of Bolavip in 2024. Since the 2020 edition—which was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and originally meant to be co-hosted by Argentina and Colombia before moving to Brazil in 2021—Argentina has remained a viable alternative.

In terms of infrastructure, Argentina has more than enough to host the Copa America, with cities like Buenos Aires, La Plata, Córdoba, Mendoza, San Juan, and Santiago del Estero offering established venues. The country last hosted the tournament in 2011. Additionally, early conversations in 2024 included the possibility of incorporating Uruguay and Paraguay, partly to evaluate logistical components tied to the 2030 World Cup cycle.

To add some context, officials at the organization’s headquarters in Luque, Paraguay, are already preparing for the 2030 World Cup, which will feature three South American host nations. Everything is in place for Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay to qualify automatically as part of the centennial celebrations. While those nations will stage the commemorative matches, the main hosts for the tournament will be Portugal, Morocco, and Spain.

According to German Carrara of Bolavip, the presidents of the federations that make up the South American confederation are currently discussing how to structure their qualifying competition for the event. They are debating whether to keep the traditional round-robin format or shift toward a Nations League–style system, with or without Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay participating.

How would Conmebol execute a plan for all South American nations to reach the World Cup?

It is important to note that Conmebol has already informally presented to FIFA’s New York offices a proposal to increase the number of World Cup participants on a one-time basis for the tournament’s centennial celebration. Specifically, the idea emerging from South America is to expand the field from 48 to 64 teams.

Regardless of whether FIFA approves the jump to 64 participants, Conmebol, according to German Carrara, is preparing a historic push: ensuring that all of its members qualify for the 2030 World Cup. The confederation would request that its allocation of six and a half spots be preserved, even with the three host nations earning automatic entry.

In that scenario, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile would compete for six direct spots and one place in the Intercontinental Playoff. It would be an unprecedented outcome, and while it may sound bold, the structural changes the sport has undergone in recent years—and the significance of the centennial year—make it far from impossible.

For perspective, Conmebol had four direct spots and one playoff berth for Brazil 2014, the same distribution it held for Qatar 2022. And currently, Concacaf, which already secured three automatic representatives through the United States, Mexico, and Canada, retained its three direct places—earned by Panama, Haiti, and Curacao—and its two playoff entries to be decided in March, involving Jamaica and Suriname.

According to Diario Ole, CONMEBOL is pushing for a major shift in the 2030 FIFA World Cup by proposing an expansion from 48 to 64 teams. While this might seem excessive, it is not unprecedented; the tournament expanded from 24 to 32 teams in 1998, paving the way to the recent expansion to 48 national teams in 2026. Now, the potential expansion is now being studied towards the 2030 edition.

After the latest FIFA Council meeting, CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez made a statement that could hint at a possible agreement for a major change in the World Cup format. “We came here to work and had an extremely important meeting. Stay tuned because we will soon be announcing news that will impact the world,” he said, as reported by Diario Ole.

Though FIFA has not officially announced it, sources like Diario Ole report that President Gianni Infantino is lobbying for support across various regions ahead of a Council meeting next week. The meeting is expected to unveil plans to expand the tournament to 64 teams. However, this change would only take effect starting with the 2030 edition, establishing a new precedent for future World Cups, while the 2026 event remains unaffected.

How would the FIFA World Cup 2030 be played under the potential change?

If FIFA approves and announces expanding to 64 national teams, the traditional World Cup format will change significantly. The tournament will feature 16 groups instead of the usual 12, with the top two teams from each group moving on. Consequently, 32 teams will progress to the second round, matching the number that qualified for the tournament’s first round in the 2022 edition.

This change presents a golden opportunity for national teams like Venezuela, which have yet to experience a World Cup. However, it also challenges future tournaments, as a single nation might struggle to accommodate the increased number of matches in a compressed timeframe. Consequently, this shift encourages more collaborative bids for hosting rights, shaping the tournament’s future landscape.

Even if Lionel Messi was absent in the game against Ecuador, the Argentine star won the top scorer award in the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup Qualifiers with eight goals. This occurred because Colombia’s Luis Diaz failed to score against Venezuela, as did Miguel Terceros for Bolivia against Brazil. Thus, the Inter Miami star secures his first-ever Golden Boot in the Qualifiers with the national team.

The absence of young players in the scoring table is striking, as neither Julian Alvarez nor Lautaro Martinez made it into the top scorers. Similarly, neither Brazil nor Uruguay have any representatives in the top three of the list, highlighting the significant offensive issues they continue to face. The only young player to stand out was Miguel Terceros, Bolivia’s star player and leader, who is 21 years old.

How does the final list of Conmebol 2026 World Cup Qualifiers top scorers look?

Lionel Messi may have secured his first Conmebol World Cup Qualifiers Golden Boot, but the data shows that this is the first time since 1994 that the top scorer has won the award with so few goals, when William Ramallo took the prize with seven goals. Although Luis Diaz and Miguel Terceros came close, neither of them managed to stand out. Here is the complete list of top scorers.

Which player has held the Conmebol World Cup qualifiers top scorer award with the most goals?

While Lionel Messi claimed the Conmebol World Cup Qualifiers Golden Boot with the fewest goals in the last 32 years, the player with the most goals to win the same award was Ivan Zamorano. The Chilean legend became the top scorer in the 1998 World Cup Qualifiers with 12 goals, setting a record that still stands today.