The first friendlies of the post-Lionel Messi era in Argentina are set to be announced next Wednesday, with reports revealing the potential rivals. The Argentina national team are about to navigate their first slate of matches in the post-Lionel Messi era after the 39-year-old forward announced his retirement from international soccer. With the official schedule release pushed to Wednesday, reporting has begun to reveal potential opponents for the Albiceleste. Following Argentina’s defeat in the 2026 World Cup final, Messi formally stepped away from international duty, meaning the upcoming fixtures in late September and early October will mark the national team’s first squad in 21 years without Messi available as an active selection option. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) released a statement on X confirming that the federation “will announce the friendly matches that Lionel Scaloni’s team will play during the September/October FIFA window” on Wednesday, shifting back their original timeline as part of a calculated administrative strategy. According to Argentina insider and Diario Ole journalist Hernan Claus, AFA are delaying the official schedule release while seeking formal FIFA certification to ensure the matches taking place between September 21 and October 6 receive official “Class A” friendly status. #SelecciónMayor El próximo lunes, la @afa, dará a conocer los partidos amistosos que disputará el equipo Lionel Scaloni en la fecha FIFA de septiembre/octubre. pic.twitter.com/eGuCG9Lvth— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) September 4, 2026 While seemingly a administrative technicality, the designation remains a high priority for Argentina’s roster management. Under official “Class A” status, suspensions handed out to Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, Thiago Almada, and assistant coach Roberto Ayala following post-match incidents at the 2026 World Cup final can be served during these autumn friendlies. FIFA recently granted AFA’s appeal permitting the sanctioned individuals to serve their suspensions during either official “Class A” friendlies or competitive fixtures, whichever occur first. However, FIFA guidelines typically restrict domestic friendlies played on home soil from receiving “Class A” status, leaving AFA working to clear the hurdle to keep the matches in Argentina without altering their venue plans. Potential rivals for Argentina begin to emerge With UEFA nations locked into 2026-27 UEFA Nations League group stage commitments across the autumn international calendar, options for high-profile European opponents remain severely limited for South American federations. According to reporting from Argentine journalist Veronica Brunatti, AFA are finalizing agreements for two friendlies, targeting Burkina Faso on October 3 and Benin on October 6. Current plans call for both matches to take place on Argentine soil, though specific venues and kickoff times remain unconfirmed. Following the 2026 World Cup, the FIFA World Rankings underwent a shift at the top, with Spain claiming the No. 1 ranking with 1,995.88 points and Argentina dropping to No. 2 with 1,970.37 points. Regarding Argentina’s prospective opponents, Burkina Faso currently occupy the 62nd spot globally, while Benin sit at 93rd, offering modest competitive resistance for the world’s second-ranked side.
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