Dream starts! Argentina v Algeria: time, TV and XIs at World Cup 2026 | OneFootball

Argentina begin their 2026 World Cup campaign this Tuesday against Algeria in the opening matchday of Group J. The team led by Lionel Messi and coached by Lionel Scaloni starts its title defense in pursuit of back-to-back championships.

How Argentina arrive

La Albiceleste make their debut after a complicated buildup due to medical issues. Leonardo Balerdi was ruled out and replaced by Marcos Senesi. Although several players trained separately and missed the previous friendlies, Scaloni has now recovered almost the entire squad. The only confirmed absence is Nicolás Tagliafico, who has been ruled out with an injury to his left soleus.

How Algeria arrive

The “Desert Foxes” return to a World Cup after missing out in 2018 and 2022. Coach Vladimir Petkovic comes in with good feelings after friendly wins over the Netherlands (1-0) and Bolivia (4-0), relying on the speed and quality of star man Riyad Mahrez. However, they suffered a key late setback: defender Ramy Bensebaini will miss the opener with an ankle injury.

Probable lineups

Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina or Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez or Nicolás Otamendi, Facundo Medina or Lisandro Martínez; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, Thiago Almada; Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martínez. Coach: Lionel Scaloni.

Matchday 2: vs. Austria | Monday, June 22, 2:00 PM | Dallas Stadium (Texas). Matchday 3: vs. Jordan | Saturday, June 27, 11:00 PM | Dallas Stadium (Texas).

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