According to the initial schedule, the match between the reigning World Cup champion, Copa America - Argentina and the EURO 2024 champion - Spain will take place at Lusail Stadium in Qatar on March 27. This is the venue for the 2022 World Cup final, where Messi and his teammates won the championship after defeating France.
However, the conflict in the Middle East has caused the Qatar Football Federation to suspend tournaments indefinitely. This makes the possibility of the Argentina vs Spain match being held at Lusail Stadium not high.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is urging relevant parties to quickly come up with solutions, because they determine that the FIFA Days in March 2026 will be very important to prepare for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Spanish national team coach Luis de la Fuente told Spanish Public Radio (RNE) on Monday: "I know negotiations are underway. The first thing the whole society needs to do is end the conflict, but once it's drawn into it and you don't know how long it will last, the solution is as long as you can't play there, you need to find another location as soon as possible.
According to international media, the Confederation of South American Football (CONMEBOL), the European Football Federation (UEFA), the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) together with RFEF and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) have made efforts to find consensus, with the goal of choosing a new venue for the Finalissima match.
One of the options being considered is to move the event to the US. The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami is a potential location. The problem in Miami is the schedule, with the hosting of the Masters 1000 tennis tournament.
The option of bringing the match to Europe is also being considered, with 3 prominent locations. These are Wembley Stadium in London, where Argentina defeated Italy in 2022 to win the Finalissima; Olimpico Stadium in Rome and Santiago Bernabeu stadium, Real Madrid's home ground, which has just been renovated and is ready for large-scale events.
However, the AFA opposed hosting at the Bernabeu stadium because it would create an advantage for the Spanish team. The Wembley plan is also quite complicated because a friendly match between England and Uruguay is scheduled to take place on March 27.
Therefore, if the match is held in London (England), the Finalissma may not take place at Wembley but instead at another stadium. The Rome stadium in Italy is a feasible option, but everything will depend on the commercial negotiations that the federations can complete.
