Messi and Rising Star Yamal Prepare for Historic First Showdown in 2026
Current continental title holders Argentina and Spain are scheduled to compete in the Finalissima during the last international window prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Diario AS indicates that the presidents of Spain and Argentina's football federations have reached an understanding to stage the Finalissima in the March 2026 international window. This encounter will pit the 2024 European Championship winners against the 2024 Copa América champions just under three months ahead of the World Cup. Both countries presently occupy the top two positions in FIFA's world rankings.
The Finalissima may provide the venue for the initial and possibly sole encounter between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal. This will represent a historic moment for football, particularly meaningful for Barcelona supporters who will witness their legendary icon alongside their emerging talent on the same field.
The fixture is planned for the period between Mar. 17–25, 2026. For this to materialize, Spain needs to mirror Argentina's qualifying campaign success and confirm their World Cup berth in advance. Should La Roja fall short and require participation in World Cup playoff fixtures, the match will be canceled since those dates are allocated for contests determining the final World Cup spots.
Nevertheless, Spain commences its World Cup qualifying campaign in September, and given the impressive form displayed by Luis De La Fuente's squad recently, they should manage World Cup qualification without significant difficulty.
Following two previous editions in 1985 and 1993, the Finalissima made its comeback in 2022 when Argentina triumphed over Italy 3–0 at Wembley Stadium in the showdown between European and South American title holders.
Sources indicate that London might again serve as the Finalissima venue in 2026, though Qatar and Saudi Arabia have also shown interest in staging the fixture.
Whatever the location, it promises to be a thrilling encounter leading up to the World Cup.