The highly anticipated generational showdown between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal is reportedly on the horizon. With their shared ties to FC Barcelona and their roles as icons of different eras, fans have long awaited a clash between the two. Now, a date appears to be agreed upon for Argentina and Spain to meet in a star-studded Finalissima.
The Finalissima was revived to pit the UEFA Euro champion against the Copa América winner in a single, high-stakes match. After a nearly three-decade hiatus, the tournament returned in 2022, and with Argentina and Spain now set to face off, plans for the next edition are gaining momentum.
According to Diario AS, Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzán and AFA president Claudio Tapia have reached an agreement to play the Finalissima in March 2026. As reported by journalist Gastón Edul, the targeted window for the game falls between March 17 and 25.
In the last edition, Argentina beat Italy 3–0 at London’s Wembley Stadium, with Messi lifting the trophy in front of a roaring crowd. While London has again offered to host the event, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are also reportedly submitting strong bids to stage the marquee clash.
Conditions still need to be met
The first official discussions for the Finalissima took place at the 75th FIFA Council meeting in Asunción, Paraguay, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin encouraging both federations to move forward with the match. While a March 2026 date is reportedly penciled in, a few conditions still must be met.
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To play in the Finalissima, both national teams must secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Argentina has already punched its ticket as the first CONMEBOL team to qualify, but Spain still has work to do.
Drawn into Group E, Spain begins UEFA qualifying on September 4 and 7 with matches against Bulgaria and Turkey, followed by additional qualifiers in October and November. Yamal and company will aim to top the group and avoid the playoff route, which would occupy the March international window.
If Spain fails to qualify directly, the Finalissima would have to be postponed once again. With the final pre–World Cup window falling just before the tournament, neither Argentina nor Spain would prefer to play the match so close to kickoff.
