Following the official cancellation of the 2026 Finalissima against Spain, Lionel Messi and Argentina have confirmed a friendly against Guatemala on March 31 in Buenos Aires. While the match initially faced a potential suspension due to a specific FIFA regulation, Argentine insider Esteban Edul reports that the governing body has granted an exception to allow the fixture to proceed.
The conflict stems from a FIFA rule that prohibits a national team from competing on two different continents during a single international window. Guatemala was in technical violation of this rule, as they are already scheduled to face Algeria on Friday, March 27, at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa, Italy.
Despite the logistical hurdle of traveling from Europe to South America in just four days, Guatemala are reportedly fully committed to making the trip to face the defending World Champions at La Bombonera, which is the confirmed venue.
Argentina reportedly working on another friendly
Following the sudden cancellation of the Finalissima, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) is working to ensure Lionel Messi and the national team maintain their competitive rhythm. While the friendly against Guatemala has been confirmed for, reports indicate that a second fixture is also in the works.
According to ESPN insider Martin Arevalo, the AFA is finalizing a second friendly match scheduled for Friday, March 27. Although the opponent and venue for this earlier fixture have not yet been disclosed, the goal is to provide the squad with maximum preparation time in Argentina before they depart for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
see also
Former Lionel Messi teammate and World Cup runner-up Sergio Romero retires to pursue coaching career
Argentina roster for March friendlies
Below is the complete 28-man roster for the Guatemala friendly, headlined by Lionel Messi; the inclusion of Gianluca Prestianni stands out as one of the biggest surprises.
- Goalkeepers: Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid).
- Defenders: Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Tomas Palacios (Inter Milan), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Gabriel Rojas (Racing Club), Marcos Acuna (River Plate).
- Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Roma), Maximo Perrone (Como), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Valentin Barco (Strasbourg), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen).
- Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nico Paz (Como), Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica), Nicolas Gonzalez (Juventus), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Almada (Lyon), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid).
