Argentina v Benin: Lionel Messi set for final Albiceleste appearance

Argentina will host Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, 6 October 2026, in the final match of the international break, with Lionel Messi preparing to make his final appearance for the national team.

Kick-off is scheduled for 23:00 GMT, meaning the match will take place during the night of 6 to 7 October. It will be shown by L’Equipe Live, BeIN Sports France and DAZN, as well as Canal+ Sport Afrique, SuperSport and SRTB, the national television broadcaster of Benin.

The fixture will be a historic one for both sides. Argentina and Benin have never previously met, while the Guepards will face a South American national team for the first time.

Argentina enter the match in strong form and have not lost at home since November 2023. They have also recorded emphatic victories in their most recent fixtures, beating Bolivia 4-0 before a 7-0 win against Burkina Faso.

The occasion will be dominated by Messi’s farewell. The Argentina captain has made 207 appearances for the Albiceleste and scored 125 goals. His final international match is expected to give the fixture added significance in front of the home supporters at the Estadio Monumental.

Benin have also built some momentum ahead of the game. The Guepards have suffered only one defeat in their past six matches, recording three victories and two draws during that run. They are unbeaten after their opening two games in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Gernot Rohr will nevertheless want Benin to compete rather than simply make up the numbers against the world champions. The visitors are expected to focus on defensive organisation and look for opportunities on the counter-attack.

Former Benin defender Khaled Adenon has described the fixture as a major opportunity for the Guepards.

Argentina are clear favourites because of their technical quality and current run of results. Benin will need to remain disciplined at the back, but Argentina are expected to have enough to claim victory and give Messi a positive send-off.

Africafoot’s prediction is a 4-0 win for Argentina.

Betting odds listed for the match have Benin at 74 to win, the draw at 45 and Argentina at 1.03.