The November international break has arrived as world champions Argentina continue to prepare for the defense of their title at next summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup.
La Albiceleste have already completed their World Cup qualification campaign, topping CONMEBOL’s standings and easily securing their spot at the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Argentina will have to wait until December’s draw to discover their opponents for the 2026 World Cup group stage, but the November period will help ready themselves for the expanded 48-team competition as they chase back-to-back crowns.
Lionel Messi, rather unsurprisingly, has been called up to Lionel Scaloni’s squad this month, but the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner faces an unusual dilemma as club side Inter Miami CF make their way through the Major League Soccer Cup playoffs.
Argentina face Angola on Friday. / Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images
Argentina play just one fixture during November. Their final match of the calendar year comes against minnows Angola in a friendly on Friday, Nov. 14, with the fixture seeing them travel to the Estádio Nacional 11 de Novembro in the city of Belas. Kick-off time is 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. PT).
The South American giants had another friendly arranged in November against potential World Cup opponents Australia, but the clash, which was set to take place in India on Nov.17, was postponed.
As a result, Argentina will fill their empty schedule with a training camp in Spain for what will be their final gathering before March, 2026.
Inter Miami are in the MLS Cup Easter Conference Semifinals. / Megan Briggs/Getty Images
Messi’s season with Inter Miami is nearly at its conclusion. The 38-year-old, who recently penned a three-year contract extension with the Herons, is still competing in the postseason, and even reached an astonishing new career milestone during victory over Nashville SC in Round One in the Eastern Conference.
The Argentine, who scored four times across the three-match series, will be crucial to Inter Miami’s progression, with the Florida side facing FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday, Nov. 23.
The match will be staged at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati and the winner of the one-off tie will book their spot in the Eastern Conference final.
Messi is in excellent form heading into Friday’s game. / Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images
With Inter Miami not in action until nine days after Argentina’s friendly with Angola, it seems likely that Messi will make his 187th national team appearance on Friday. How many minutes the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star earns remains to be seen.
However, there remains the possibility that Messi, alongside Inter Miami and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul, could be allowed to leave the training camp in Spain early to ensure extra preparation time for the crucial MLS Cup playoff clash with Cincinnati.
Messi, who has only represented Argentina four times this calendar year, will be aiming to add to his 114-goal tally for La Albiceleste against Angola—an opponent he has only faced once before back in May, 2006.
READ THE LATEST SOCCER NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MATCH REACTION
