Lionel Messi is still making history at 38 years old, remaining a cornerstone and captain for both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. With the 2026 Major League Soccer season now underway, fans are wondering when they’ll see the forward back in action.
Lionel Messi’s next match is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, when Inter Miami will be visiting Nashville SC at Geodis Park for the first leg of the Round of 16 in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Messi heads into the fixture in fine form after finding the back of the net in the 2-1 away win over D.C. United in Matchday 3 of the MLS.
As for international duty with Argentina national team, Lionel Messi is set to return to action during the March international window. La Albiceleste will face Spain national team in the Finalissima on Friday the 27th, followed by a friendly against Qatar national team on Tuesday the 31st.
The 2026 MLS campaign has only just begun for Messi, who has featured in three official matches so far, scoring thrice without registering an assist. The opener came against LAFC, who handed Inter Miami a 3-0 defeat in front of a packed crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Lionel Messi and the task of defending the World Cup title
The year 2026 will be especially significant for Messi, not only because of Inter Miami’s ambitions but also because he’ll head into the 2026 World Cup aiming to defend the title. The triumph in Qatar in 2022 marked one of the defining peaks of his career, and now in North America he’ll enter another tournament wearing the champions’ badge for the first time.
Drawn into Group J, Argentina will open its campaign against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16, in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. The second match will be against Austria on Monday the 22nd in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, before closing the group stage against Jordan on Saturday the 27th, also in Texas.
The Argentina FA has announced that the national team will base itself in Kansas City during the tournament, though training facilities have yet to be confirmed. Expected to be his final World Cup appearance, Messi will have a chance to add to his record haul with a squad coached by Lionel Scaloni that remains one of the strongest in international soccer after winning the last World Cup and back-to-back Copa América titles.