According to Diario AS, Argentina and Spain are set to meet in the second edition of the Finalissima this coming March, in a highly anticipated showdown between the reigning champions of Europe and South America. The match is scheduled to take place during the international window from March 26 to 31, which has been set aside for World Cup playoff fixtures.
The presidents of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Rafael Louzán, and the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Claudio Tapia, have reached an agreement to make the match happen—pending Spain’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Argentina, on the other hand, has already secured its spot in the tournament, along with Brazil and Ecuador.
Spain will begin its qualifying campaign this September, facing Bulgaria in Sofia on the 4th and Turkey in Konya on the 7th, before hosting Georgia in Elche in October. While it’s unlikely that Spain will need to go through the playoffs, failure to qualify directly would make it impossible to play the Finalissima in March. Holding the match just before the World Cup has been ruled out by both federations, given that Spain and Argentina are among the tournament favorites and would prefer uninterrupted preparation.
The initiative to organize a new Finalissima emerged during the FIFA Congress held last winter in Asunción, Paraguay. Both FIFA President Gianni Infantino and UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin supported the idea and encouraged the RFEF and AFA to schedule the match.
This will mark the second edition of the Finalissima in its modern format. The first was held in June 2022 at Wembley Stadium, where Argentina defeated Italy 3-0 in a memorable performance. That match revived the concept of a continental champions clash, replacing the older Artemio Franchi Cup, which had only two editions—in 1985 and 1993—won by France and Argentina respectively. The 1993 title was also Diego Maradona’s last with the national team.
