Argentina – Benin at the Monumental: ticket sales begin September 22, Messi prepares for his final appearance
The Argentina national football team will play Benin on October 6, 2026, at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, with ticket sales for the match beginning on September 22 at 6 p.m. Argentine time. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has officially included the match in the schedule of three home friendlies during the September-October international window and has published the price list and sales method. Tickets will be sold exclusively through the online platform Deportick, with AFA listing prices ranging from 90,000 to 480,000 Argentine pesos, depending on the section. For international buyers, it is important to note that 6 p.m. in Buenos Aires corresponds to 9 p.m. UTC. The match against Benin carries additional significance because it is scheduled to be Lionel Messi's final appearance for the national team, after he announced the end of his international career at the end of August.
On September 14, AFA confirmed that Lionel Scaloni's team would first play Bolivia on September 30 at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium in Córdoba, followed by Burkina Faso on October 3 at the Monumental and Benin on October 6 at the same stadium. A few days later, the association also published ticket prices, with the same pricing structure applying to both matches in Buenos Aires. In a separate announcement regarding the squad, AFA stated that Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso would arrive specifically for the final friendly on October 6. FIFA also announced that the match against Benin would be Messi's farewell appearance for Argentina and quoted AFA president Claudio Tapia as saying that the captain had been called up so that he could receive the farewell he deserves. This makes the context of the match considerably clearer than earlier media reports: AFA's official pages concerning the schedule and tickets focus on organizational information, while the farewell was publicly confirmed by the head of the association, and FIFA presented it as Messi's final match.
Sales begin September 22 at 6 p.m., exclusively through Deportick
According to AFA's official announcement of September 19, online ticket sales for the Argentina – Burkina Faso and Argentina – Benin matches begin on Tuesday, September 22 at 6 p.m. Argentine time. The association explicitly states that sales are exclusively through Deportick and online only, so buyers should pay particular attention to using the official sales platform specified in AFA's communication. Sales for both matches at the Monumental open at the same time, meaning that interest in the two matches will overlap, although the greatest attention is expected to focus on the match against Benin because of Messi's farewell. In its pricing announcement, AFA did not specify the stadium opening time, leaving that information for a later announcement. The number of tickets available in each price category has also not been published, so the nominal capacity of the stadium cannot be used to determine how many seats will actually be offered for sale.
For the match against Benin, AFA published the following prices:
- Popular: 90,000 Argentine pesos.
- Popular for children aged 3 to 10: 29,000 Argentine pesos.
- Upper Sívori and Centenario seating: 180,000 Argentine pesos.
- Middle Sívori and Centenario seating: 320,000 Argentine pesos.
- Upper San Martín and Belgrano seating: 320,000 Argentine pesos.
- Lower San Martín and Belgrano seating: 450,000 Argentine pesos.
- Middle San Martín and Belgrano seating: 480,000 Argentine pesos.
AFA additionally warns that children from the age of three pay the full price for seats in the platea sections, while a special children's rate is listed for the popular section. Persons with disabilities must arrange their entry in advance through Deportick during the general sales period and obtain the appropriate ticket before match day. The association states that without completing the procedure in advance and obtaining the ticket, entry on the day of the match will not be possible. This information is particularly important for visitors planning a trip to Buenos Aires because it requires the formalities to be completed before arriving at the stadium. AFA has not yet published additional details about gate opening times, possible access zones or other operational instructions for October 6, so buyers should follow subsequent official announcements.
Messi has already announced his international retirement
Lionel Messi announced on August 31 that he was ending his career with the Argentina national team after more than two decades of appearances. On the same day, AFA published his farewell message on its official website, in which he explained that he had considered the decision for a long time after the end of the 2026 World Cup and believed that the time had come for a new generation. Reuters reported at the time that Messi ended his international career as Argentina's record holder for appearances and goals, with 207 matches and 125 goals. His final competitive appearance was in the 2026 World Cup final, in which Spain defeated Argentina 1:0 after extra time on July 19. FIFA confirmed the result and course of that final in its official report, noting Ferran Torres's goal in the 106th minute.
The retirement decision, however, did not mean that Messi's international story would end without one more appearance in front of the Argentine public. On September 15, FIFA announced that the 39-year-old forward would play against Benin on October 6 and that AFA president Claudio Tapia had presented the match as a deserved farewell in Argentina. At the same time, AFA specified in its squad list for the upcoming friendlies that Messi, De Paul and Lo Celso would arrive to take part in the final match of the international window. This is an important distinction from the first media reports, which called the match a farewell before all organizational details had been publicly confirmed. As of September 22, there are multiple official confirmations that Messi will play specifically on October 6 and that the appearance is planned as the closing act of his career with the national team.
Messi's international career spanned from 2005 to 2026 and included a series of appearances in the final stages of major competitions. With Argentina, he won the 2022 World Cup, the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, and the 2022 Finalissima, while also leading the national team to the World Cup finals in 2014 and 2026. After the defeat to Spain in the final of the 2026 tournament, he announced his decision to retire from international football, but he will continue his club career separately from the national team. The farewell match in Buenos Aires is therefore not a return from retirement in the full competitive sense, but a specially arranged final appearance in a friendly match. This framework explains why AFA lists the fixture as an international friendly, while FIFA and the association president simultaneously describe it as Messi's farewell.
Argentina plays three home friendlies in ten days
The schedule begins on September 30 in Córdoba with a match against Bolivia, continues on October 3 against Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires, and ends three days later with the match against Benin. AFA announced that the matches were approved in accordance with the procedures for international fixtures and classified as top-level friendly matches under the relevant FIFA regulations. For Scaloni's team, this is the first international window after the 2026 World Cup, where Argentina, as defending champion, reached the final. The schedule therefore also has sporting significance because it opens the period following a major tournament, but the event on October 6 will inevitably be marked by the farewell of the long-serving captain. In that context, AFA has allocated some players differently across the three matches, with Messi listed only for the final fixture.
AFA's official announcement regarding the home friendlies also emphasizes that Argentina has never previously played an official match against either Benin or Burkina Faso. The October 6 match will therefore be the first meeting between Argentina and Benin, giving the fixture an additional statistical distinction independently of the farewell program. In its review of the history of matches against African national teams, AFA noted that Argentina has considerably more experience against other members of the Confederation of African Football, particularly Nigeria, which it has also faced at World Cups. Benin, however, enters the history of the Argentina national team precisely as the opponent in the match expected to close Messi's international career. For the Benin national team, this is a rare away match against the current world runner-up and a fixture that, because of the circumstances, will have far greater global visibility than a typical friendly.
Monumental as the stage for the farewell
Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, home of River Plate, is one of the most important football venues in South America and regularly serves as the home ground of the Argentina national team for major matches. River Plate states on its official website that the current capacity is 85,018 spectators, making the stadium the largest in South America according to the club's own data. That number, however, is not the same as the number of tickets that will be available for the October 6 match because the organizer may reserve part of the capacity for security zones, official delegations, media, the visiting allocation and other needs. AFA did not specify the final number of tickets to be placed on sale in its sales announcement, so it is not possible to estimate in advance how many tickets will enter the market. For that reason, the potential speed of a sellout cannot be reliably estimated before the system opens.
The Monumental is already associated with Messi through numerous important international nights, so choosing the stadium for his final appearance carries strong symbolism. This time, however, the match is not part of qualifying or a final tournament but a friendly organized during the international window. That distinction allows AFA to structure the event both as a sporting contest and as a ceremonial farewell to the captain. FIFA stated in its announcement that Messi would appear in the final match, while Argentine media also reported preparations for a special program in his honor. The detailed ceremony protocol, the duration of any program before or after the match, and the full guest list have not been specified in the ticket announcements, so they should not be presented as definitively confirmed until the organizers publish additional information.
What has been confirmed ahead of the start of sales
For supporters planning to buy tickets, the most important thing is to distinguish information that has already been officially confirmed from details that have not yet been announced. The match date, stadium, opponent, Messi's participation in the final friendly, the start of online sales on September 22 at 6 p.m. Argentine time, and the price range from 90,000 to 480,000 Argentine pesos have all been confirmed. It has also been confirmed that sales are conducted exclusively through Deportick, as well as the special procedure for persons with disabilities. On the other hand, AFA did not specify the stadium opening time, the number of available tickets by section, or the detailed farewell ceremony in its pricing announcement. If additional times, collection instructions or organizational changes appear, subsequent announcements from AFA and the official sales platform will be authoritative.
The Argentina – Benin match therefore combines several different stories: the first meeting between the two national teams, the conclusion of Argentina's short home cycle after the World Cup, and Lionel Messi's final appearance in the national shirt. For the public, the most immediate important moment is September 22 at 6 p.m. in Buenos Aires, when Deportick is expected to open sales according to AFA's announcement. The cheapest regular ticket costs 90,000 ARS and the most expensive 480,000 ARS, while a children's ticket for the popular section costs 29,000 ARS. The match itself will be played on October 6 at the Monumental, and AFA lists it as an international friendly. All additional information about stadium organization and the farewell program is expected through official communication channels as the date approaches.
Sources:
- Argentine Football Association (AFA) – official confirmation of the schedule of home friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin (link)
- Argentine Football Association (AFA) – official price list, sales start time and access rules for matches at the Monumental (link)
- Argentine Football Association (AFA) – squad list and confirmation that Messi, De Paul and Lo Celso will take part in the final friendly on October 6 (link)
- Argentine Football Association (AFA) – official publication of Messi's message announcing his retirement from the national team on August 31, 2026 (link)
- FIFA – confirmation that Messi will play his final match for Argentina against Benin on October 6 and statement by AFA president Claudio Tapia regarding the farewell (link)
- Reuters – information on Messi's international retirement, 207 appearances and 125 goals for Argentina (link)
- FIFA – official report on the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina (link)
- River Plate – official information on the Monumental stadium and its current capacity of 85,018 spectators (link)
- Argentine Football Association (AFA) – documentation on the approval of three international friendlies in accordance with FIFA regulations (link)
- Argentine Football Association (AFA) – historical review of Argentina's matches against African national teams and confirmation that it has never officially faced Benin or Burkina Faso (link)
- FIFA – overview of Messi's international trophies, including the 2021 and 2024 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 World Cup (link)
- Canal 26 – Argentine report on ticket prices and the start of sales through Deportick (link)
- Benin Web TV – Beninese report on the match, the price range and the start of ticket sales (link)