Argentina Target Uruguay and Costa Rica Friendlies After Asia Tour Cancellation

Argentina are working to arrange two home friendlies during the November international window after abandoning plans for a tour of Asia, with Uruguay and Costa Rica among the possible opponents in La Plata.

The Argentine Football Association had intended to take the national team overseas for its final gathering of 2026, but the cancellation of that trip has prompted talks over fixtures closer to home. The November FIFA period runs from November 9 to 17, and the staff are aiming to use both available match dates.

November plans take shape

1. Argentina used October matches against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin to give opportunities to emerging players.
2. Lionel Messi ended his international career on October 6, increasing the importance of forthcoming camps as the coaching staff assess who can take on larger roles in the squad.
3. With the Asian visit no longer going ahead, the AFA began exploring a meeting with Uruguay at Estadio Unico Diego Armando Maradona in La Plata.
4. Discussions have included a possible two-match series: a first game in La Plata followed by a return fixture in Montevideo.
5. Costa Rica have also been considered as potential visitors, with the possibility that Argentina could play both November games at the La Plata stadium.

Uruguay would offer a demanding test

A match against Uruguay would renew one of South American football’s most competitive regional rivalries. Diego Forlan’s Uruguay have recently returned from their own Asian programme, having beaten South Korea and India before suffering defeat against Japan.

Keeping the November schedule in La Plata would spare Argentina the long travel previously required for the Asian tour. It would also provide more time for training as the staff examine tactical options and continue their search for players capable of leading the side in the post-Messi era.

No fixtures confirmed

Neither Uruguay nor Costa Rica has been formally announced as an opponent, and negotiations are continuing. The final programme will depend on agreements reached by the respective federations in the coming weeks.

If the plans are completed, Argentina supporters could see the team at home for the last time in 2026, rather than watching the final international window take place abroad.