Lionel Messi is set to make a final appearance for Argentina when the world champions face Benin Republic in an international friendly on October 6, 2026, at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has confirmed Messi’s inclusion for the fixture, which is being organised as a farewell occasion for the 39-year-old after he announced his retirement from international football.
FIFA also confirmed that the match will be Messi’s final game for Argentina.
AFA President Claudio Tapia said the decision to invite Messi followed discussions with head coach Lionel Scaloni.
Tapia added that Messi accepted the invitation and will have the opportunity to say goodbye to the Argentina supporters at the Monumental.
The AFA also plans to bring together members of the 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning squad, inviting the former champions and their families to attend the special occasion alongside Messi.
The fixture gives Benin’s Cheetahs a high-profile opportunity to test themselves against Argentina on South American soil.
It will also put the West African side at the centre of worldwide attention, with Messi’s farewell expected to be the main attraction.
Argentina will play two other friendlies during the international window, facing Bolivia on September 30 in Córdoba and Burkina Faso on October 3 at the Monumental, before meeting Benin three days later.
Messi leaves the Argentina national team after more than two decades, having won the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024.
He is also Argentina’s record goalscorer and one of the country’s most decorated international players.
For Benin, the October 6 encounter will be more than an ordinary friendly.
The Cheetahs will share the pitch with the reigning world champions in Buenos Aires on a night designed to mark the end of Messi’s remarkable international career.
