With the 2026 MLS season already underway, questions are being raised about when Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will play his next game. Lionel Messi is still making history at 38 years old, remaining a cornerstone and captain for both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. With the 2026 Major League Soccer season now underway, fans are wondering when they’ll see the forward back in action. Lionel Messi’s next match with Inter Miami is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, when the Herons visit the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field for the 2026 MLS. The Argentine star heads to the game after selivering an assist in the 2-2 draw against Atlanta United As for his next game with Argentina, there is no game scheduled yet, but the next matchups will be in the upcoming extended international break in September-October. Still, Lionel Messi has already announced his retirement from the national team, marking the end of an era at the Albiceleste. During the World Cup, Messi featured in all eight matches for Argentina scoring eigth goals to cement his legacy as the second all-time top scorer in the torunament with 21 career World Cup goals. As for the 2026 MLS campaign, Messi has featured in 20 official matches so far across all competitions for Inter Miami, scoring 18 goals with 10 assist registered thus far. Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF during the MLS match against LAFC. Lionel Messi and the task of defending the World Cup title The year 2026 will be especially significant for Messi, not only because of Inter Miami’s ambitions but also because he’ll head into the 2026 World Cup aiming to defend the title. The triumph in Qatar in 2022 marked one of the defining peaks of his career, and now in North America he’ll enter another tournament wearing the champions’ badge for the first time. Drawn into Group J, Argentina will open its campaign against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16, in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. The second match will be against Austria on Monday the 22nd in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, before closing the group stage against Jordan on Saturday the 27th, also in Texas. The Argentina FA has announced that the national team will base itself in Kansas City during the tournament, though training facilities have yet to be confirmed. Expected to be his final World Cup appearance, Messi will have a chance to add to his record haul with a squad coached by Lionel Scaloni that remains one of the strongest in international soccer after winning the last World Cup and back-to-back Copa América titles.
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