Overview

• Lionel Messi confirmed that the game against Venezuela at the Monumental on Sept. 4 will be his final home appearance in World Cup qualifying, calling it a very special occasion for which his family will attend.
• AFA released the final squad for the closing qualifiers with Messi included and several young call‑ups, while Enzo Fernández was left out after his recent red card against Colombia.
• Argentina has already clinched a 2026 World Cup berth and first place in CONMEBOL, with fixtures set for Venezuela in Buenos Aires on Sept. 4 (20:30) and Ecuador in Guayaquil on Sept. 9.
• AFA president Claudio Tapia urged Messi to continue with the national team but emphasized that any decision about playing on belongs to the captain.
• Tapia announced October friendlies in the United States as World Cup tune‑ups: Venezuela at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Oct. 10 and Puerto Rico at Chicago’s Soldier Field on Oct. 13.