The 2026 Finalissima match between Spain and Argentina, originally set to take place in Qatar, has been called off due to the ongoing political tensions in the area, UEFA announced on Sunday.
UEFA EURO 2024 champions Spain were to compete against CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 titleholders Argentina in Doha on March 27. This match would have marked the first encounter between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.
However, following the recent U.S.-Israel military actions in Iran and the ensuing regional fallout, Qatar has been deemed an unsuitable location for the match.
UEFA, CONMEBOL, and the local organizing committee have considered alternative dates and venues—Madrid and Buenos Aires were among the discussed locations—but failed to reach an agreement.
“After extensive discussions between UEFA and the Qatari organizing authorities, it has been confirmed today that the Finalissima cannot be held in Qatar due to the current political situation,” UEFA stated.
“Various other options were explored, but ultimately they were not acceptable to the Argentinian Football Association.”
“One proposal was to host the match at the Bernabeu in Madrid on the original date, allowing for a 50:50 split of fans in the stadium, which would have created a fitting atmosphere for such an event, but Argentina declined.
“Another option involved playing the Finalissima over two legs—one at the Bernabeu on March 27 and the other in Buenos Aires during an international window before UEFA EURO and Copa America 2028. This suggestion also faced rejection from Argentina.
“UEFA also attempted to negotiate a commitment from Argentina to play on March 27 at a neutral venue in Europe, or potentially on March 30, but this too was declined.”
– Messi rested; Mascherano sees red in Miami draw
“Argentina proposed playing the game after the World Cup; however, with no available dates for Spain, that idea was dismissed. Ultimately, Argentina stated it could only play on March 31, a date deemed impractical.”
This match was set to be the fourth edition of the Finalissima, where the champions of Europe face off against the champions of South America, yet only the second time this trophy has been contested in the current century.
Argentina, the reigning world champions, hold the trophy after defeating Italy 3-0 at Wembley in 2022.
The inaugural competition, known then as the Artemio Franchi Cup, was won by France against Uruguay in 1985, while Argentina triumphed over Denmark via a penalty shootout in 1993.
Moreover, this highly anticipated game would have marked the first time Barcelona star Yamal faced off against Inter Miami CF‘s Messi in their careers.
At just 18 years old, Yamal has frequently been compared to the 38-year-old Messi, as both share similar paths at Barça, play on the right wing, are left-footed, and don the No. 10 jersey.