The Albiceleste would play at home against Bolivia, Burkina Faso, and Benin between September 30 and October 6. The AFA is awaiting a decision from FIFA regarding the category of the matches to announce them officially
After a World Cup that marked the end of an era, the Argentine National Team begins to project what comes next. The team of Lionel Scaloni would already have three friendlies defined for the next dateFIFA, all on Argentine soil.
Although theArgentine Football Association (AFA) has not yet made the official announcement, the calendar would be practically closed and would be confirmed in the coming days. The debut of this new stage is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, when the Albiceleste hosts Bolivia at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium. Then, the team would move to Buenos Aires to complete the tour. On Saturday, October 3, they would face Burkina Faso and, three days later, on Tuesday, October 6, they would close the series against Benin, both matches at the Monumental.
The Argentine National Team will play against Bolivia, Burkina Faso, and Benin
If confirmed, the matches against the two African teams would have an unprecedented character, as Argentina has never faced either of them before. A similar situation occurred during the last international window in March, when the national team faced Zambia and Mauritania for the first time.
The delay in confirmation from the governing body of Argentine football is due to their expectation of receiving a favorable response from FIFA on a central issue. According to reports, the organization must determine whether the three matches will be recognized as Class A matches, a condition that has statistical and, above all, sporting implications.
If they receive that designation, Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and Thiago Almada will be able to start serving their suspension dates resulting from the altercation that occurred during the World Cup final. Additionally, those matches would count towards the FIFA ranking and for the historical records of the players with the National Team.
Regarding the roster, the coaching staff would have already made a broad reserve of players to meet regulatory requirements. The call-up could begin to work between Tuesday, September 22, and Wednesday, September 23 at the Ezeiza training ground, and an extensive list is expected, with the presence of many of the world runners-up, although there would also be room for new faces and young players looking to earn a spot.
Will Messi play?
Beyond the sports planning, all eyes will be on Lionel Messi. The captain announced his retirement from the Argentine National Team after the final, closing an era of more than two decades with the Albiceleste jersey. Despite this news, the AFAmaintains the hope that he can participate in one of these matches and say a final goodbye to the Argentine public.
