Argentina cancels China tour, to face Mexico instead
Published: 08 August 2025, 6:47:30
World champions Argentina have canceled their planned tour of China and will instead play a high-profile friendly against Mexico, according to multiple Argentine media reports.
With their spot already secured in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi and his team are preparing for the final phase of their international calendar in 2025.
Originally scheduled to visit China in October following their World Cup qualifiers in September, Argentina will now face Mexico — one of the co-hosts of the 2026 tournament — in a friendly match.
The game is expected to be held at Soldier Field in Chicago between October 8 and 14, although the exact date and venue are yet to be officially confirmed.
The last time Argentina and Mexico met was during the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Argentina won 2–0 thanks to goals from Messi and Enzo Fernández.
According to TyC Sports, the October tour might also include another friendly match, possibly at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. While the opponent for that fixture hasn’t been finalized, discussions are ongoing.
Another Argentine outlet, Olé, reports that Argentine Football Association (AFA) is considering selecting the United States as their second opponent during the tour.
As co-hosts of the next World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada, the US is expected to host the majority of the tournament’s major matches, making it a strategic location for Argentina’s preparations.
Argentina’s international calendar remains busy. In the final FIFA match window of 2025, scheduled for November, Albiceleste will travel to Africa. They are confirmed to face Angola, with another opponent to be determined.
Before that, Argentina will complete their CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying campaign with two final matches: they’ll host Venezuela in Buenos Aires on September 5, followed by an away fixture against Ecuador on September 10.
