Argentina vs. Guatemala: Scaloni’s Team Prepares for World Cup with Friendly Match

The cancellation of the Finalissima left the Argentine national team with a gap in their schedule ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Still, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has quickly arranged a friendly match against Guatemala, to be played in Argentina on Tuesday, March 31st, as a farewell before the World Cup.

An agreement was reached earlier this week to host the match against the Guatemalan squad, coached by Luis Fernando Tena, though the specific stadium is still to be confirmed. Currently, Buenos Aires is the frontrunner to host, with La Bombonera emerging as the leading candidate.

The Monumental stadium is unavailable on that date due to a previously scheduled AC/DC concert. The legendary Australian band is set to perform on March 23rd, 27th, and 31st, ruling out the national team’s usual home ground.

This match with Guatemala will serve as a replacement for the suspended Finalissima against Spain and will provide an opportunity for players and the technical staff, led by Lionel Scaloni, to connect with fans before traveling to the United States for the World Cup.

While Scaloni’s team won’t face a top-tier opponent as originally planned, they will have the chance to spend time in Argentina. This will allow the players to be with their families and experience the support of the fans before the tournament. Scaloni also values the opportunity to work at the Ezeiza training grounds and balance football with personal time.

The Albiceleste will train and be based at the Lionel Andrés Messi Training Center, with a charter flight arriving from Madrid on Sunday carrying most of the squad. The list of players called up for this international window is expected to be announced between Thursday and Friday this week, and will likely be a selection from the 35-38 players Scaloni had initially considered for the match against Spain.

The match against Guatemala replaces the cancelled Finalissima, and another planned friendly against Qatar, which was scheduled for March 31st as part of the Qatar Football Festival 2026, has also been suspended due to ongoing conflict.

Following this international window, the Scaloneta will travel to the United States for another set of friendlies in June, just weeks before their World Cup opener against Algeria on June 16th. Opponents for those matches have not yet been confirmed.

Following the cancellation of the Finalissima, Lionel Scaloni’s squad will travel to Argentina for a week of intensive training and a friendly match against Guatemala on Tuesday, March 31st.

The work schedule, list of called-up players, and stadium will be announced in the coming days.