Having played an emotional final competitive match in Argentina in September 2025, Lionel Messi can end an amazing international career by leading his country to back-to-back World Cup titles in the 2026 finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner turns 39 during the tournament and is Argentina’s top scorer and international, which has led to hypervigilance in his homeland surrounding the physical condition of the national hero and sporting icon.
Coach Lionel Scaloni has even been able to rest his talisman because the Albiceleste had won their section when they face debutant Jordan in the last match of the World Cup. world cup group stage.
Here is Messi’s full confirmed and potential schedule at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Messi’s World Cup matches: confirmed schedule, start times
Here are the matches, results and potential schedule for Argentina, as well as how to watch them in the UK.
The asterisk indicates that a match begins the previous day in the indicated territory.
| Date | Phosphorus | Result | Scenery | Time (BST) | eastern time | P.T. | Channel |
| June 17 | Algeria | 3-0 | Cluster | 02:00 | 21:00* | 18:00* | ITV |
| June 22 | Austria | 2-0 | Cluster | 18:00 | 13:00 | 10:00 | bbc |
| June 28 | Jordan | 3-1 | Cluster | 03:00 | 22:00* | 19:00* | bbc |
| July 3 | Cape Verde | 3-2 AET) | round of 32 | 23:00 | 18:00 | 15:00 | MOT |
| July 7 | Egypt | round of 16 | 17:00 | 12:00 | 09:00 | to confirm | |
| July 12 | to confirm | Quarter finals | 02:00 | 21:00 | 18:00 | to confirm | |
| July 15 | to confirm | Semifinals | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | to confirm | |
| July 18 | to confirm | Match for third place | 22:00 | 17:00 | 14:00 | to confirm | |
| July 19 | to confirm | End | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | BBC, ITV |
Will Messi play in the 2026 World Cup? Injury news updates
Argentine alarm bells rang when Messi suffered a muscle injury during Inter Miami’s final game before the World Cup, but Scaloni said Messi “looked good” in training in an update the day before his team’s campaign began.
“We believe that everyone, not just Argentines, wants to see him on the field,” Scaloni said. “I want to see him play, because that is what he generates for everyone.
“For me it will always be like that. I don’t see anything negative, honestly, [on the training] passed.
“It has been in different conditions but it has always been there and it has always been fundamental for us, so now it will be even more so.”
Scaloni’s prophecy proved accurate when Messi scored his first World Cup hat-trick in Argentina’s opening 3-0 victory over Algeria, equaling German legend Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 goals in the finals.
Messi then went two ahead of Klose by scoring both goals in the subsequent 2-0 win over Algeria – although he sent an early penalty wide – and added one more in each of the wins over Jordan and Cape Verde.
Lionel Messi World Cup schedule: knockout stage, full draw
Argentina justified their status as favorites to win their group and beat surprise Group H runners-up Cape Verde in the round of 32 to tie with Egypt.
You can see the complete support at fifa site.
Lionel Messi’s next match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Messi’s next World Cup appearance will be in Argentina’s round of 16 match against Egypt on July 7 at 17:00 BST.
World Cup 2026: Will Lionel Messi lift the trophy?
Argentina is among the favorites to win the World Cup and has kept almost the entire squad that won the trophy in 2022.
Messi, Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer, was the top scorer in the South American qualifiers, scoring eight goals to help Argentina finish nine points clear at the top.
Hardworking forward Julián Álvarez scored four goals in the 2022 finals, while Inter’s Lautaro Martínez averages almost a goal per game internationally and is Argentina’s second top scorer under Scaloni.
One of Messi’s InterMiami His teammates Rodrigo De Paul form part of a formidable-looking midfield alongside the likes of Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, with an experienced defense in front of Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, one of the stars of the penalty shootout victory over France in the 2022 final.
Spain, France, England, Brazil, Portugal and Germany are among the most likely candidates Argentina will have to beat to win the title if Messi is to win one more trophy in his international swan song.
Argentina squad for the 2026 World Cup: complete list of Messi’s teammates
Here is the team Messi leads in his sixth World Cup, having made a record 26 appearances in the tournament before the start of the finals.
Goalkeepers: Juan Musso (Atletico de Madrid), Gerónimo Rulli (Marseille), Emiliano Martínez (Villa)
Defenders: Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Marseille), Nahuel Molina (Atleti)
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (River Plate), Rodrigo de Paul (Inter Miami), Valentín Barco (Strasbourg), Giovani lo Celso (Real Betis), Ezequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea)
Forwards: Julián Álvarez (Atleti), Lionel Messi (Miami), Nicolás González (Atleti), Thiago Almada (Atleti), Giuliano Simeone (Atleti), Nico Paz (Como), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan)
