As national teams start to qualify to the 2026 World Cup, questions rise regarding the date stipulated for the Finalissima between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Lamine Yamal’s Spain.
Argentina and Spain currently stand among the strongest national teams in the world—not only for winning their respective continental championships but also for maintaining a consistently high level of performance. With the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, speculation is growing around when a highly anticipated Finalissima between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Lamine Yamal’s Spain could take place.
The Finalissima is an official match organized jointly by UEFA and CONMEBOL, bringing together the winners of the Copa America and the UEFA European Championship to compete for a trophy.
There have been three editions of the Finalissima, with the most recent held on June 1, 2022. That match saw 2021 Copa America champions Argentina face EURO 2020 winners Italy at Wembley Stadium—just five months before the World Cup in Qatar.
However, over the last few months, the potential matchup between Argentina and Spain has been left in limbo due to increasingly congested schedules for both club and international soccer. With the expanded FIFA Club World Cup and ongoing World Cup qualifiers, 2025 is shaping up to be a challenging year to fit in the Finalissima.
Finalissima in 2026?
Holding the Finalissima in 2025 seems unlikely given the packed international calendar. For Messi‘s Argentina, the June and September FIFA windows are already reserved for CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, leaving only a potential opening toward the end of the year.
Spain, however, has an even tighter schedule. In addition to their World Cup qualifying commitments in September, October, and November, Spain will also participate in the UEFA Nations League Final Four in June 2025. With no clear international window available, the outlook for 2025 is bleak.
The most viable option could be March 2026—approximately three months before the World Cup kicks off. By then, Argentina will have completed its qualification campaign, and Spain may also have secured its spot—unless they’re forced into the playoffs.
If Spain fails to win its qualifying group, it will be required to compete in the UEFA playoff round, which is also scheduled for March 2026. That would complicate any plans to hold the Finalissima during that window, potentially pushing the match to a date after the World Cup—though post-tournament scheduling would likely face even greater logistical challenges.
