Lionel Scaloni puts 2026 Finalissima between Argentina and Spain into question

Argentina are already one of the teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and they remain among the leading favorites to repeat as champions. Since lifting the trophy in Qatar in 2022, the Argentines have maintained a high level of play, including winning the 2024 Copa America. That success reopened the door to a potential Finalissima against Spain, the current European champions, in 2026. Coach Lionel Scaloni addressed the topic this week.

In an interview with TNT Sports, Scaloni questioned why the Finalissima had not been scheduled earlier, pointing to the UEFA Nations League as the main obstacle. He also shared his concerns about the possibility of staging the game in March 2026.

“If you ask me if I would have preferred it earlier, the answer is yes,” Scaloni said. “There was time to play it, but Spain couldn’t because they had the Nations League, which they invented themselves. For us South Americans, it has hurt us because it prevents us from competing against Europeans. They created their own tournament, which theoretically was friendly, but then they dressed it up as something else. And we haven’t been able to play.”

“Now that we can, they can’t, because they’re playing World Cup qualifiers,” he continued. “To have such an important match just months before the World Cup, honestly I didn’t think it was going to happen. We’ll see if it’s confirmed. Spain should finish first in their group and be available in March, but everything is still up in the air. What we need are concrete plans, and right now we don’t have them.”

Lionel Messi of Argentina lifts the Finalissima trophy.

Could Argentina and Spain face each other another way?

If the Finalissima does not take place, it would be nearly impossible for these two heavyweights to meet before the World Cup. Scaloni acknowledged that reality, recognizing the World Cup as the only possible stage for such a matchup.

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Scaloni also touched on the challenges of scheduling friendlies against European teams. “It’s practically impossible,” he said. “You’d have to find one that has an open date or belongs to a five-team group in European qualifying. But even then, those teams usually set up a friendly with another European nation. That leaves us with teams from the Americas, Central America, Asia, or Africa. We have to move in those directions, and the destinations are not always convenient. That’s just the reality we face.”

Where could the Finalissima be played?

If the game does happen, there is still no confirmed venue, but several countries have expressed interest in hosting. The potential showdown between Lamine Yamal’s Spain and Lionel Messi’s Argentina could become one of the great soccer spectacles of this generation. Reports suggest England, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have already submitted bids to stage the event.

According to TyC Sports, Uruguay is also strongly interested in hosting the Finalissima. The proposal involves Montevideo’s legendary Centenario Stadium, which staged the first FIFA World Cup in 1930. The venue, set for renovations ahead of the 2030 World Cup, could close its current era with another historic match between two of the sport’s most storied nations.