Argentina match schedule 2023: Lionel Messi’s national football team next games, upcoming fixtures
Defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, are spending the first half of calendar 2023 celebrating their title triumph, but serious competition is not too far away.
Fans in Argentina could see their national team return home to play friendlies against Panama and Curacao while celebrating the careers and achievements of their Albiceleste champions.
With Argentina’s next competitive games only starting in the fall when the 2026 World Cup qualifiers begin, Messi and Co. will play friendlies in the first half of the year. These should give fans a chance to see their World Cup heroes on the field before the site really turns its attention to the upcoming 2026 World Cup cycle.
Sporting News brings you the latest information on popular Argentine games in calendar year 2023.
MORE: Can Lionel Messi match Cristiano Ronaldo’s record?
Argentina Schedule for 2023 Matches
Before the international break in March, Argentina had only played two friendlies in 2023. The dates for the start of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, which begin in September, have not yet been confirmed.
So far, only friendlies against Panama and Curacao in March have been confirmed for Argentina, who have no competitive games in sight this summer. That means the Albiceleste need to fill the schedule with friendlies as they prepare for the start of World Cup qualifiers and next year’s Copa America 2024.
June 2023 will be Argentina’s next opportunity to bring the squad together but no games have been confirmed for that period, despite rumors of a tour of Asia circulating.
When World Cup qualifiers begin in September 2023, Argentina will play games against Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay before ending the calendar year with a top-flight away game against Brazil.
MORE: Breakdown of the numbers behind Lionel Messi’s record-breaking hat-trick against Curacao
| Date | Competition | Fit | Location |
| Thu, March 23 | International Friendly |
Argentina 2-0 Panama | Estadio Monumental (Buenos Aires, Argentina) |
| Tue, March 28 | International Friendly |
Argentina 7-0 Curaçao | Estadio Madre de Ciudades (Santiago del Estero, Argentina) |
| open (June 2023) |
International Friendly |
Argentina vs TBD | open |
| open (June 2023) |
International Friendly |
Argentina vs TBD | open |
| open (September 2023) |
World Cup qualification 2026 | Argentina vs Ecuador | open |
| open (September 2023) |
World Cup qualification 2026 | Bolivia vs Argentina | open |
| open (Oct 2023) |
World Cup qualification 2026 | Argentina vs Paraguay | open |
| open (Oct 2023) |
World Cup qualification 2026 | Peru vs Argentina | open |
| open (November 2023) |
World Cup Qualification 2026 | Argentina vs Uruguay | open |
| open (November 2023) |
World Cup Qualification 2026 | Brazil vs Argentina | open |
Lionel Messi stats, goals for Argentina
Lionel Messi became the third player in international football history to score 100 goals for a national team by scoring a hat-trick against Curacao on March 28.
The goals took him to 102 in his international career and pushed Messi ever closer to second-place Iran’s Ali Daei’s 109. Only Cristiano Ronaldo is above him, with over 120 goals in his international career for Portugal.
Messi also surpassed 800 career goals in 2023 when his goal for Argentina against Panama put him in elite company as only Cristiano Ronaldo scored more goals for club and country combined.