Lionel Messi: When are Argentina playing vs Mauritania and Zambia? Schedule, kick-off times

Lionel Messi could feature in two friendlies for Argentina before the end of March after the World Cup holders rearranged their schedule because two fixtures fell through.

Lionel Scaloni’s side had been set to play Spain in the Finalissima in Qatar on March 27 before the match was called off over the conflict in the Middle East.

They then arranged a home match against Guatemala, who had to pull out because they face Algeria in Genoa four days earlier and FIFA regulations do not allow teams to play on two continents within the same international window.

Here’s when Argentina are now playing, including kick-off times and whether Messi is likely to play.

When is Lionel Messi playing for Argentina?

Although Messi’s involvement is not certain, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is part of an Argentina squad who will play Mauritania on March 27 and Zambia on March 31.

The games are a chance for fans in Messi’s homeland to see their side in action for the final time before the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.

The games will be played at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, which is the home of Boca Juniors and has a capacity of more than 57,000.

When is Argentina vs Mauritania?

The game against Mauritania, who are 115th in FIFA’s rankings, will take place at 20:15 local time on Friday (23:15 GMT / 18:15 ET / 15:15 PT).

Visiting head coach Aritz Lopez Garai, who has played and managed in the Spanish second division, discovered his side could be playing Argentina last Friday.

“The federation president told me there was a possibility,” Garia said, speaking to Ole. “He didn’t confirm it because the paperwork was still pending, and everything accelerated with the announcement that the match was confirmed.”

Garia played in a 2-1 defeat and 5-0 thrashing against Messi’s Barcelona while he was a midfielder with Cordoba.

“We aspire to be competitive, but we’re going to face the best player in the world. I believe this will be a unique opportunity for my players to showcase themselves on a global stage.

“Playing with Messi at La Bombonera, the ultimate stadium, is an extraordinary motivation for any player, and we have to know how to control that excitement so it doesn’t backfire.

“A match of this magnitude is a great opportunity; circumstances have simply unfolded this way. For Mauritania, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

When is Argentina vs Zambia?

Zambia are 91st in the rankings and will meet Argentina on Monday, again starting at 20:15 local time (23:15 GMT / 18:15 ET / 15:15 PT).

Led by former national team centre-back Moses Sichone, Zambia finished last in their Africa Cup of Nations group via a defeat to Morocco and draws with Mali and Comoros.

The Copper Bullets finished fourth in their World Cup qualifying group and have never reached the finals.

They had been scheduled to play in a four-nations tournament with Zimbabwe, Malawi and Botswana before the game against Argentina was confirmed.

One of Zambia’s best-known players is prolific forward Patson Daka, who has been a regular for Leicester City in the Championship this season.

The Foxes paid Salzurg £23 million to take Daka to the Premier League in 2021 and the four-time Austrian champion helped them win the second tier in 2023/24.

Will Lionel Messi play for Argentina vs Mauritania and Zambia?

While many fans are desperate to see Messi play whenever his teams are in action, Scaloni may choose to use the 38-year-old sparingly with the World Cup under three months away.

Messi has a history of suffering injuries on international duty. “After his return, we will simply monitor how he is feeling day by day,” his Inter Miami boss, Javier Mascherano, said after his captain scored and played the full 90 minutes in an MLS win over New York City on Sunday.

“Clearly, he is a vital player for us if we are to achieve our objectives. Quite frankly, without him, it would be impossible for us to reach the goals we have set for ourselves.

“That said, we also understand that he is reaching the final stretch [before the World Cup]. As I’ve mentioned before – knowing him as I do, and given that many of the decisions we make regarding him are reached by mutual agreement – we have to keep the lines of communication open, constantly checking in on his physical sensations and how he is feeling.”

Lionel Messi: Argentina squad vs Mauritania, Zambia

Here’s how Argentina’s squad looks for the matches.

Argentina World Cup 2026 fixtures

Argentina’s World Cup campaign starts on June 16 in Kansas. Kick-off times marked with an asterisk are the following day.