Argentina await FIFA nod to face Guatemala, seek plan B friendly | OneFootball

The friendly match between the Argentina National Team and Guatemala, scheduled for March 31 at La Bombonera, is still on but with one unresolved condition. Doubts arose because the Albiceleste’s opponent is set to play a match against Algeria on the 27th of that month in Italy, which would violate a FIFA regulation prohibiting a country from playing two matches in different confederations during the same FIFA date. The AFA sought a solution and found one: it requested special authorization from the world’s highest football authority, and is now awaiting the green light.

The argument the AFA used to request the exception is the context created by this emergency fixture: the cancellation of the Finalissima against Spain in Doha, due to the war in the Middle East, left the National Team without its main match for the window. Added to this was the suspension of the friendly that was also scheduled against Qatar as visitors.

With Lionel Scaloni’s squad having no commitments on the last date before the World Cup and the called-up players training in Buenos Aires, the AFA organized the match against Guatemala on the fly. The special permission requested from FIFA is based precisely on this exceptional situation: the suspension of the original match due to an armed conflict. The organization’s response has not yet arrived, and the AFA is waiting for it.

The Argentine leadership already has a backup plan in case FIFA does not grant the exception and the match against Guatemala falls through. There is a plan B in place, with an alternative opponent who could take that spot.

And if the authorization comes through and Guatemala can play, that plan B would also be activated: the goal is to organize a second friendly for March 27, also at La Bombonera and against a CONCACAF opponent. Two matches, two dates, the same Boca stadium as the venue.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.