Burkina Faso arrive hours before Argentina friendly after delayed departure

Burkina Faso will arrive in Buenos Aires only hours before their friendly against Argentina on Saturday after a series of travel problems forced the Stallions to change their plans.

The Burkinabe delegation left Casablanca on a special flight bound for Buenos Aires, where the team is scheduled to face Argentina at the Monumental Stadium.

The squad is expected to arrive between 13:00 and 13:30 local time, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00. That would leave Amir Abdou’s side with fewer than eight hours between their arrival in Argentina and the start of the match.

The Stallions will also travel with a significantly changed squad, with several players from the A’ national team called up to complete the group.

The Burkina Faso Football Federation announced that a number of A’ players had been urgently added to the squad. Their inclusion means an unfamiliar-looking Burkina Faso side is expected to face the reigning World Cup runners-up.

The timing of the journey could also present a physical challenge for the players involved.

Burkina Faso have just completed two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches. They drew 1-1 with Benin in Ouagadougou before beating the Central African Republic 1-0 in Casablanca.

Those matches were followed by a journey of almost 12 hours to South America, leaving the Stallions with little time to recover or prepare for their meeting with Argentina.

Their preparations had already been disrupted before they eventually left Casablanca.

The Burkina Faso Football Federation said the flight originally scheduled for 30 September was cancelled without prior notice. On two occasions, the players had packed their belongings and prepared to leave their hotel, only to be told they could not travel.

The repeated delays placed the friendly in serious doubt.

The situation also created tension within the squad, with the players refusing a training session requested by coach Amir Abdou.

Questions have also been raised over the conditions surrounding the match.

According to journalist Romain Molina, the Argentine Football Association has hired a specialist company to arrange several of its friendly matches against African national teams. The reported agreement covers travel, accommodation and expenses for the visiting delegation but does not include a participation fee or revenue-sharing arrangement.

Under the reported model, income from ticket sales, television rights and sponsorship would remain with Argentina.

A similar arrangement was reportedly used for a previous friendly against Mauritania, while the conditions have attracted criticism.

For Burkina Faso, however, the opportunity to face Argentina remains an important attraction. Abdou had told his players before the trip that playing against Argentina in Buenos Aires could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The Stallions must now complete the final stage of their journey and prepare to face Argentina despite the disruption surrounding their trip.

Their physical condition after the long journey and limited preparation time will be closely watched when they arrive at the Monumental.