Lionel Messi’s Argentina To Set Up Base In Kansas City For 2026 World Cup

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Argentine National Team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will be based in Kansas City for much of the competition. They will play their first match of the tournament against Algeria on June 16th in the city. Although their other two matches will be in Dallas, the Albiceleste chose Kansas City for its convenient location and climate.

Kansas City, the champion’s base

Argentina have decided where to set up their training camp to defend their 2022 World Cup title: Kansas City, Mo. They will debut there on June 16 against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium. The reigning World Cup champions are already beginning to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which will be Lionel Messi’s last appearance in the tournament.

Comes after extensive research

The AFA announced that after several inspection trips led by the Physical Trainer, Luis Martín; the Alternate Physical Trainer, Juan Tamone; and the administrators Daniel Cabrera and Alberto Pernas, and after an exhaustive final report, it was concluded that Kansas City would be the ideal place to face the competition due to the distance between cities and amenities for the delegation.

MLS ties

Lionel Scaloni’s team will train at the Compass Minerals National Performance Center, the same training center as the local MLS side, Sporting Kansas City.

When does Argentina play in the 2026 World Cup?