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World champions Argentina could reportedly play a friendly against Russia in November, for the first time since Russia's ban from international competition.
According to sources in Russia and Argentine journalist Gastón Edul, a deal is being prepared that would take the Argentine team to Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium between November 10 and 18. The stadium has been booked for that period and a preliminary agreement has reportedly been reached.
However, it is unlikely that big names like Lionel Messi will attend the match, due to potential pressure from Western sponsors, who would not feel comfortable attending such a meeting in Russia.
Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been banned from all FIFA and UEFA competitions. The Russian national team's last competitive match was on November 14, 2021, a 1-0 defeat to Croatia. Since then, Russia has played 16 friendlies, mostly in Moscow, against teams such as Qatar, Iraq, Cameroon and Serbia.
In a related development, US President Donald Trump, during a conversation with FIFA head Gianni Infantino, expressed surprise at Russia's exclusion and suggested that participation in the 2026 World Cup could serve as a catalyst for peace.
“ Five thousand young people being killed every week – that’s unbelievable ,” Trump declared, adding: “ We want to make them stop . We want them to stop.”
If the friendly between Argentina and Russia takes place, it is expected to be a match of not only sporting but also political importance, due to its symbolism and the current international situation.
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