What next for Argentina?: Scaloni stays, Copa América 2028 mystery | OneFootball

After losing in the World Cup final to Spain, the Argentina National Team is already looking ahead to its new sporting cycle. The first major question revolves around the continuity of Lionel Scaloni, who made his future contingent on an assessment he will carry out in December 2026, when his current contract expires. The team is entering a transition period marked by internal restructuring amid the possible absence of Lionel Messi and an international calendar with major changes.

Immediate schedule: Friendlies at the end of 2026

FIFA has already set the dates for the windows in the World Cup cycle that will end in 2030. The first double match window of this new process will take place between September 21 and October 6, 2026. With no official matches scheduled, the AFA is working on organizing two friendly matches, with dates, kickoff times, and venues still to be confirmed. Later, between November 9 and 17, the final window of the year will be completed, during which the Albiceleste will play another series of warm-up matches.

An unusual format for the South American Qualifiers

Because Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay will host opening matches of the Centenary World Cup in 2030, the three national teams already have qualification secured for that global event. Despite this, the three countries will compete in the South American Qualifiers, which are expected to begin in March 2027 under the traditional round-robin format. According to what was announced by the Paraguayan leadership, the competition will be integrated with a joint project with UEFA similar to the Nations League, which would provide financial revenue and direct competition on European soil depending on the position achieved.

The challenge of the 2028 Copa América and the uncertainty surrounding the Finalissima

The squad’s next major official objective will be the Copa América 2028, a tournament in which Argentina will seek to defend its crown and win a third straight continental title. Although there are reports pointing to the United States as a possible host, the tournament still lacks official confirmation and is shaping up to be the National Team’s first international tournament without Lionel Messi in more than two decades.

Meanwhile, the staging of the Finalissima remains in doubt after the match scheduled for March 2026 against Spain in Doha was suspended due to the lack of security guarantees in the Middle East. With no agreement between the confederations to reschedule that match, the future of the intercontinental trophy will depend on political decisions and the federations’ calendars looking ahead to 2028.

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