The reigning World Cup and Copa America champions, Argentina, are set to face Colombia in a crucial FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL qualifier. The match will be held at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla on September 11th, with kickoff scheduled for 2:00 AM IST.
Argentina currently sits atop the qualifying table with 18 points, having won six of their seven matches so far. Their impressive form will be put to the test against Colombia, who are in third place with 13 points from seven matches. The top six teams in the CONMEBOL qualifying group will secure direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup, while the seventh-placed team will compete in an inter-confederation play-off.
However, Argentina will be without their talisman, Lionel Messi, who has been ruled out of the match due to an ankle injury sustained during last month’s Copa America final. In addition to Messi, River Plate goalkeeper Franco Armani and striker Angel Di Maria, who retired from international football after the Copa America, are also missing from the squad.
Despite the absence of key players, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has called up a number of new and young faces, including midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez and striker Valentin Castellanos. Other notable inclusions in the squad are Alejandro Garnacho, Valentin Carboni, Valentin Barco, and Matias Soule, all of whom have limited international experience.
The match is set to be a captivating encounter as both teams strive for victory in their quest for World Cup qualification. The match will not be televised in India but can be streamed live on the Fancode app and website. You can also follow Sportstar’s live blog for updates on the game.
