Overview
- Kickoff is Tuesday at 20:00 (Argentina time) at Guayaquil’s Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha, with Wilmar Roldán refereeing and live TV on TyC Sports and Telefe.
- Lionel Messi was released to rest and will not travel, and Cristian “Cuti” Romero is unavailable due to a one-match suspension for yellow-card accumulation.
- Training points to Lautaro Martínez starting, possible minutes for Julián Álvarez in a two-striker look, Thiago Almada as creator, Nicolás González on the left, and Gonzalo Montiel and Nicolás Tagliafico on the flanks.
- Argentina has already qualified and tops CONMEBOL with 38 points, while Ecuador, also qualified, can still improve its final position with a win depending on other results.
- The AFA confirmed October friendlies in the United States against Venezuela in Miami (Oct. 10) and Puerto Rico in Chicago (Oct. 13), and the Argentina–Spain Finalissima for March 2026 remains under discussion with date and venue unconfirmed.