Argentina to Face Mauritania and Zambia

Argentina’s national football team is set to play two friendly matches against African opponents this month, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed yesterday. The fixtures mark an important preparation phase for Lionel Scaloni’s squad as they continue their international campaign.

Originally, Argentina was scheduled to face Guatemala on 31 March in Buenos Aires. However, according to Reuters, Guatemala has a pre-arranged friendly against Algeria in Italy on 27 March. FIFA regulations prohibit a team from playing two matches on separate continents during the same international window, which resulted in the cancellation of the Argentina–Guatemala fixture. Local media outlet TyC Sports reported that the match could not receive FIFA approval due to this rule.

The revised schedule sees Argentina host Mauritania at Boca Juniors’ La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires on 27 March. The second friendly, against Zambia, will take place at the same venue on 31 March. In an official statement, the AFA noted, “Before departing to defend the World Cup title, the national team will bid farewell to its supporters with a friendly against Mauritania.” A separate AFA statement confirmed that the second friendly will be against Zambia.

These fixtures follow a string of cancellations for Argentina due to geopolitical instability. Scaloni’s team was originally slated to face Spain in the 27 March Finalissima match, which UEFA cancelled amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Similarly, Mauritania had a scheduled friendly against Palestine in Morocco, which was also called off due to regional unrest.

The upcoming African matches will be Argentina’s third consecutive friendly against teams from the continent. In November, the national team secured a 2–0 victory over Angola in their previous friendly encounter.

Below is a summary of Argentina’s revised friendly schedule:

Coach Lionel Scaloni’s squad will use these matches to fine-tune tactics, assess player form, and strengthen team cohesion ahead of upcoming competitive fixtures. Facing two African sides offers a unique challenge, testing Argentina’s adaptability against different playing styles and strategies.

For fans, these fixtures provide an opportunity to witness the reigning World Cup champions in action on home soil, marking a celebratory farewell before international commitments abroad. Argentina’s preparations against Mauritania and Zambia are expected to reinforce the team’s momentum and readiness for future international competitions.

This schedule underlines Argentina’s strategic approach to maintaining its competitive edge while adhering to FIFA regulations and responding to unexpected fixture changes.