Statabet 26 47 days until kickoff
Argentina
Group J · 1st seed ★ 2022 Champions FIFA #1

Argentina
La Albiceleste.

The reigning world champions are going to defend their title — Scaloni has kept the core from Doha, and Messi did the impossible, announcing at 38 that he will play one more tournament. The start — June 16 in Kansas City against Algeria.

Route · Group J
Tue · 16 JUNArgentina — Algeria — · —Kansas City · 20:00 Mon · 22 JUNArgentina — Austria — · —Dallas · 12:00 Sat · 27 JUNJordan — Argentina — · —Dallas · 21:00
Thu 2 JULRound of 16 · J vs ?Atlanta
Wed 8 JULRound of 16 (forecast)Kansas City
National anthem
Himno Nacional Argentino
0:00
Wikimedia
Full path · 7 stages

National team
calendar.

Matchday 1
16 JUN · TUE · 20:00
vs Algeria
Kansas City · "Arrowhead Stadium"
Matchday 2
22 JUN · MON · 12:00
vs Austria
Dallas · AT&T Stadium
Matchday 3
27 JUN · SAT · 21:00
away at Jordan
Dallas · AT&T Stadium
Round of 16
28 JUN–3 JUL · FRI
if they qualify
Atlanta · Boston · Vancouver · Guadalajara and 12 more
Round of 16
4 JUL–7 JUL · TUE
if they qualify
Atlanta · Dallas · Kansas City · Los Angeles and 4 more
Quarterfinals
9 JUL–11 JUL · SAT
if they qualify
Atlanta · New York / NJ · San Francisco · Philadelphia
Semifinals
14 JUL–15 JUL · WED
if they qualify
Atlanta · Dallas
Final
19 JUL · SUN
if they qualify
New York / NJ

Group stage confirmed, playoffs — date range and potential venues. Playoff schedule to be finalized after Round of 16 draw.

18
Tournaments in history
3 ★
Champion · 1978, 1986, 2022
#1
FIFA Ranking
9.50
Odds to win
Coaching staff

Scaloni —
defending the gold.

Lionel Scaloni

Lionel Scaloni

Head Coach · Argentina · since 2018

The youngest head coach of the World Cup — and the most decorated for Argentina since the Bilardo era. Doha-2022 brought him his first trophy, Miami-2024 — the second (Copa América). 2026 — an attempt to become the first since 1962 to defend the championship title.

★ World Cup 2022 ★ Copa América 2021, 2024 87 matches · 64 wins
Stars

Four players
to watch.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

Forward · № 10 · 38 years old

Captain and icon of Albiceleste, 2022 world champion. Preparing for his fifth, possibly final, World Cup as he approaches 39.

File
Lautaro Martínez

Lautaro Martínez

Forward · № 22 · 28 years old

El Toro — Inter captain, top scorer of Copa América 2024. The national team's main striker.

File
Julián Álvarez

Julián Álvarez

Forward · № 9 · 26 years old

"9" Atlético Madrid (€100M). 2022 World Champion, Scaloni's second attacking trump card.

File
Emiliano Martínez

Emiliano Martínez

Goalkeeper · № 1 · 33 years old

Dibu — hero of the 2022 World Cup final, winner of the Golden Glove. Defense leader.

File
Squad · preliminary list

Twenty-six players
under one roof.

Preliminary Final FIFA squad list — by May 27, 2026.

Goalkeepers

1
Emiliano Martínez Aston Villa 33 years old · 195 cm · €25M
12
Heronimo Rulli Marseille 33 years old · 189 cm · €8.0M
23
Juan Musso Atlético Madrid 31 years old · 191 cm · €5.0M

Defenders

4
Gonzalo Montiel River Plate 29 years old · 176 cm · €10M
2
Kristian Romero Tottenham 28 years old · 185 cm · €55M
13
Nahuel Molina Atlético Madrid 28 years old · 175 cm · €30M
25
Lisandro Martinez Manchester United 28 years old · 175 cm · €35M
3
Nicolás Tagliafico Lyon 33 years old · 172 cm · €6.0M
19
Nicolás Otamendi Benfica 38 years old · 183 cm · €3.0M
6
Leonardo Balerdi Marseille 27 years old · 188 cm · €30M
17
Marcos Senesi Bournemouth 29 years old · 185 cm · €28M

Midfielders

5
Leandro Paredes Boca Juniors 31 years old · 178 cm · €8.0M
7
Rodrigo de Paul Inter Miami 31 years old · 180 cm · €20M
24
Enzo Fernandez Chelsea 25 years old · 178 cm · €75M
20
Aleksis Mak Allister Liverpool 27 years old · 174 cm · €75M
8
Ezequiel Palacios Bayer Leverkusen 27 years old · 177 cm · €30M
18
Tiago Almada Atlético Madrid 24 years old · 173 cm · €32M
15
Nico Paz Como 21 years old · 184 cm · €45M
14
Hose Lopes Palmeiras 24 years old · 192 cm · €20M

Forwards

10
Lionel Messi Inter Miami 38 years old · 170 cm · €18M
22
Lautaro Martínez Inter 28 years old · 174 cm · €85M
9
Julián Álvarez Atlético Madrid 26 years old · 170 cm · €100M
11
Nicolas Gonzalez Atlético Madrid 28 years old · 180 cm · €30M
16
Giuliano Simeone Atlético Madrid 23 years old · 175 cm · €30M
21
Franko Mastantuono Real Madrid 18 years old · 180 cm · €45M
26
Hoakin Panichelli Strasbourg 23 years old · 188 cm · €18M
History

At every World Cup
since 1930.

Three stars.

18 tournaments, three titles — Kempes, Maradona, and Messi. Doha 2022 ended a 36-year wait and gave Argentina its third star on the emblem. If 2026 brings a fourth — they'll level with Italy and Germany.

1978 ★ 1986 ★ 2022 ★
2022 ★ChampionsFrance — on penalties, LusailChampions
2018Round of 16France 3:4, KazanRound of 16
2014FinalistsGermany 0:1 in the final, Rio de JaneiroFinal
2010QuarterfinalsGermany 0:4, Cape TownQuarterfinals
2006QuarterfinalsGermany — on penalties, BerlinQuarterfinals
1990FinalistsGermany 0:1 in the final, RomeFinal
1986 ★ChampionsGermany 3:2 in the final, Mexico CityChampions
Chants

Stadium chants
on matchday.

Real fan chants for the national team — original, phonetic in Russian, translation and context.

Muchachos
Muchachos, ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar / Quiero ganar la Tercera
[Muchachos, ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar / Quiero ganar la Tercera]
Guys, we believe again / I want to win the third (World Cup)

Argentina's main anthem at the 2022 World Cup. A song by the band La Mosca, rewritten by fans. Lionel Messi himself sings along from the stands.

Vamos, Vamos, Argentina
Vamos, vamos, Argentina / vamos, vamos a ganar
[Vamos, vamos, Argentina / vamos, vamos a ganar]
Let's go, let's go, Argentina / let's go, let's go to win

A classic from 1978, written for the home World Cup. Since then it's been sung at every major match.

El que no salta es un inglés
El que no salta es un inglés
[El que no salta es un inglés]
Whoever doesn't jump is English

A chant-provocation against England, especially after the Falklands in 1982 and Maradona's "Hand of God" in 1986.