After Argentina won the 2022 Finalissima, Lionel Messi and Co. have the opportunity to defend their title in the upcoming edition of the tournament after lifting the 2024 Copa America. This time, they are set to face Spain, who won the 2024 Euros. While the match is expected to take place in 2025, Lionel Scaloni has said that he doesn’t think it will happen next year.
“I don’t have any news yet. It’s going to be a challenge next year due to Spain’s qualifying matches,” Scaloni said in the press conference ahead of Argentina’s match against Peru for the 2026 World Cup Qualifying.
This isn’t the first time that Scaloni has shared his doubts surrounding the match against Spain. Back in September, he also said that he didn’t know if the Finalissima was going to happen next year. “Maybe they’ll find a gap, but I’m not thinking about it right now,” he told reporters.
While there hasn’t been official news about the match, there has been speculation about the potential host city. According to a previous report from Argentinian outlet Olé, some of the cities considered for the event include Berlin, London or Rome, if it takes place in November 2025.
Argentina won the 2022 Finalissima against Italy (Clive Rose/Getty Images)
However, if the match is pushed to March 2026, New York is the top option to host the event in the United States. Other reports suggest that Barcelona offered the Camp Nou as a potential venue, especially as the match could face current Blaugrana star Lamine Yamal with Messi.
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Scaloni confirms upcoming changes in Argentina’s squad
In the past four years, Argentina have become one of the most consistent national teams in the world, winning two Copa Americas (2021 and 2024), as well as the 2022 World Cup. However, with the upcoming 2026 World Cup ahead, Scaloni has confirmed that they will seek changes in the squad.
“In these six matches, we brought the core group of players who won us the Copa América, and there wasn’t time to call up other players. But from now on (March 2025), we need them to play for their clubs, and we will decide based on their footballing level. We have always done it this way, except on this occasion,” he told the press.
In the past six matches, Argentina has struggled to win away from home, losing against Paraguay and Colombia, and equalizing with Venezuela. However, they are undefeated at home. La Albiceleste can still end the year on a winning note if they beat Peru, in their upcoming 2026 World Cup Qualifying match.
