New venue emerges as Spain vs Argentina ‘Finalissima’ looms closer

We’re finally getting closer to discovering where and when the eagerly awaited ‘Finalissima’ will be staged as the current World Cup holders (Argentina) face Euro 2024 winners in Spain.

The mouthwatering contest will pit Leo Messi’s Argentina against Lamine Yamal’s Spain in a match that Qatar, London, Miami and Montevideo are desperate to host.

However, it’s the capital of Uruguay that appears to be in pole position to host the game that is earmarked to take place in the March window next year with Spain looking like odds on favourites to win their 2026 World Cup qualifying group and thus avoid a playoff game. Luis de la Fuente’s side have recorded six points from six and will hope to avoid any setbacks in next month’s matches at home against Bulgaria and Georgia.

For the ‘Finalissima’ match between Spain and Argentina to go ahead, both countries must have secured their place in the 2026 World Cup. The only date available on the FIFA calendar is March 26-31, the period reserved for the World Cup play-off matches, which is the one that CONMEBOL itself has already included in its agenda for the ‘Finalissima’.

The first meeting to organize this second edition of the ‘Finalissima’ was held last winter in Asunción, Paraguay, on the occasion of the 75th FIFA Congress. Both FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his UEFA counterpart Aleksander Ceferin encouraged the RFEF and the AFA to find a venue that suited both teams so that the match could go ahead.

The ‘Finalissima’ replaces the defunct Artemio Franchi Cup. The first edition was held in the days leading up to the World Cup in Qatar. Argentina and Italy faced each other at Wembley in London. Argentina won 3-0 with goals from Lautaro, Dybala, and Di María. Before that, the Artemio Franchi Cup had only been held twice, in 1985 and 1993.

In the first edition, France and Uruguay faced each other at the Parc des Princes in Paris, with the ‘Bleus’ winning 2-0. In 1993, the finalists were Denmark, who had surprisingly won the European Championship, and Argentina again. The match was played in Mar del Plata. After a 1-1 draw, the Argentine side prevailed on penalties in a match that marked the last title won by Maradona with his national team.

The next ‘Finalissima’ will be a highly anticipated contest given that it will pit the top two teams in the FIFA rankings against each other with both nations also two of the main contenders for the 2026 World Cup that will be staged next summer in Mexico, Canada and the United States.

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