Argentina's first matches since Lionel Messi's national team retirement are reportedly set to be played entirely on home soil. Argentina’s national team is set to play its first matches since Lionel Messi‘s retirement from international duty entirely on home soil, according to TyC Sports. The AFA is finalizing plans for the upcoming FIFA window, running from September 21 to October 6, with the intention of keeping all fixtures within the country for the first time since the squad’s World Cup run. The shift comes after earlier plans for a proposed friendly against China collapsed. Chinese organizers had reportedly insisted on guarantees regarding Messi’s participation, and once he confirmed his retirement, negotiations between the two parties fell apart entirely. With the China fixture scrapped, Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Rosario have emerged as the leading candidates to host the two or three friendlies under consideration, with El Monumental and La Bombonera among the primary venues being weighed for the capital, alongside a third match expected in an interior province. The matches will carry extra significance as the first competitive action for Lionel Scaloni’s side since the squad’s runner-up finish at the 2026 World Cup, and the first without Messi in the squad following his August 31 retirement announcement. Gracias eternas, Leo. Te vamos a amar hasta el final de nuestros días 🩵🤍🩵 pic.twitter.com/7VVV2doDZP— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) August 31, 2026 Other possible absences alongside Messi The window also arrives amid broader uncertainty over the future of several veterans from Argentina‘s golden generation. Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez hinted at a possible exit after the World Cup final, writing on social media that “there’s still a lot to reflect on, and to see how things move forward and whether it’s time to step aside”. Leandro Paredes similarly left the door open to a departure, saying “it’s going to be difficult to continue,” while Nicolas Tagliafico has already confirmed the World Cup was his final tournament with the national team. With Messi, Tagliafico and possibly other key figures no longer part of the setup, the upcoming friendlies are shaping up as the clearest signal yet of the transition Scaloni’s squad is entering.
AFA will pause every match in Argentine football to honor Lionel Messi after his national team retirement. AFA, Argentine football’s governing body, announced a tribute for Lionel Messi across the sport following his retirement from the Argentina national team. The recognition will extend to every match of the league, as well as all other categories and disciplines under the federation’s umbrella, both men’s and women’s. Every fixture will pause at the 10-minute mark of the first half for a full minute of applause, honoring Messi’s more than two-decade career with the Albiceleste. Stadiums equipped with big screens will also play an institutional video chronicling his time with the national team before kickoff. “It is decreed that in the next matchday of all categories of all men’s and women’s disciplines (11-a-side, Futsal, and Beach Soccer), the match will be stopped at the tenth (10th) minute of the first half and one (1) minute of applause will be given in recognition of Lionel Messi’s career with the Argentina national team,” the official bulletin, published under Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia’s leadership, read. Messi’s international career spanned 21 years since his 2005 debut, during which he made 207 appearances, scored 125 goals and provided 68 assists for Argentina. Over that span, he lifted the 2022 World Cup, the 2021 and 2024 Copa America titles, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal, and the 2005 U-20 World Cup. One life. One legacy.Thank you, Leo 🇦🇷🩵 pic.twitter.com/dF9532jSeI— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) August 31, 2026 Fans push to retire the No. 10, but face a regulatory hurdle The wave of tributes also reignited a request that has circulated among Argentina supporters since Messi’s announcement: retiring the No. 10 jersey permanently in his honor, so no player ever wears it for the national team again. The idea would leave the number forever associated with both Messi and Diego Maradona, the two players most responsible fThe request runs into the same obstacle that blocked it once before. FIFA regulations require official squad lists for tournaments like the World Cup and Copa America to use consecutive numbering from 1 to 26, with a number assigned to every player on the roster, meaning the No. 10 cannot simply be shelved.or turning it into more than just a shirt number. Argentina already tried this exact move ahead of the 2002 World Cup to honor Maradona, but FIFA rejected the request on those same regulatory grounds, and the number continued to be worn by subsequent generations of players.
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