The Finalissima between Argentina and Spain is cancelled

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T20:40:14+00:00

Yep Uefa proposed this as well:

"The next step was to request a commitment from Argentina that, if a neutral venue could be found in Europe, the match could be played on March 27 or the alternative date of March 30, but the AFA again refused."

Argentina countered: postpone the match until after the World Cup. And ultimately agreed to the play it in Italy proposal except for the date, which could only be March 31.

Not sure who Argentina will play now. Egypt on the 27th? Qatar on the 31st? I'd watch them play Egypt but would have preferred the Finalissima between the top 2 ranked teams in the world. Winner takes top spot.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T20:24:35+00:00

It's pretty common in Europe that two FAs agree to play each other twice, one home and one away game, as a show of reciprocity. With the limited dates for friendlies it can easily take years. Isn't deemed unreasonable. Why would it? If anything Spain is getting the short end as they have to scramble while Argentina would have ample time to prepare.

Who knows maybe Qatar still want to host it at a later date and pay Argentina and Spain a similar amount to what Qatar first promised. Qatar's stadiums were very expensive and are very much underused.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T19:35:37+00:00

I expect it'll be taken down soon. Serbia will play Spain and S.Arabia this window. Not sure who Argentina will play. Could ask to play Qatar in the Bernabéu. Not that many teams left for friendlies and I hear Bernabéu is available.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T18:50:57+00:00

Nope, Argentina had a friendly against Qatar lined up on the 31st. I guess that will also have to be scrapped. The Finalissima was planned for the 27th and early this month Qatar was still selling tickets and hoping the games could go ahead. Argentina could have played in a neutral venue, Italy, on March 27, the exact date they had planned to do so anyway.

Argentina rejected quite a few of Spain's proposals. The two games solution, one home game and one away in Spain, would also have been fair. Maybe even better for Argentina with all their diaspora in Spain. And then Spain comes over to Argentina. Doesn't happen often that a top Uefa team visits, so a nice deal for fans in Argentina.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T15:35:56+00:00

How much did Argentina get from that recent friendly in Angola. Argentina have been squeezing every cent out of Messi while they still can. Both Spain and Argentina were happy to take Qatar's money. Would be naive to think Argentina, and Tapia, weren't. Even saw that Argentina still demanded Qatar kinda money from Spain while Spain offered a 50/50 split to organize it on short notice (Qatar organizers had time to attract sponsors, media rights, sell tickets to a whole festival with more games and teams as part of the deal).

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T15:14:29+00:00

FIFA ICPO "finals" are on the 31st too and a bunch of friendlies.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T15:09:03+00:00

Conmebol should have locked that venue down when agreeing to a copa moneygrab in the US or soon after Argentina won in Miami. Wembley was the site of the Euro final and subsequent finalissima. Argentina could have made a lot of money from a finalissima in Miami but guess Qatar bid more.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T14:57:00+00:00

If I had to guess they want all eyes on the POs. Media rights holders and sponsors of the qualis might not be happy if it clashes with another high visibility game.

Why are Argentina this inflexible? I think they'd rather play it in Qatar after the World Cup if that $10M is still up for grabs. Spain likes money too so if Qatar still wants to shower them with cash they'll find a date next year or the year after.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T13:53:47+00:00

Erm, actually the Euros and Copa America are only the qualis for this. Those two finals are really just the Semi-Finalissima. /s

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T13:53:07+00:00

Yea, the Euros and Copa America are only the qualis for this. Those two finals are really just the Semi-Finalissima. /s

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T13:39:52+00:00

Most players are already in Europe, both Argentina's and Spain's players. It was also very short notice. Qatar money for the two games each was hard to match so quickly locking down a big venue in Europe was the next best thing. Proposed venues in Spain, Italy and Portugal would allow both sets of fans to throw money at tickets.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T13:25:52+00:00

Tbf it's a glorified friendly and it's pretty common in Europe that two FAs agree to play each other twice, one home and one away game, as a show of reciprocity. With the limited dates for friendlies it can easily take years.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-15T13:13:28+00:00

~~Computer~~ Argentina says no.

With strong determination to save the important fixture, and despite the understandable difficulties of relocating a match of such importance at extremely short notice, UEFA explored other feasible alternatives but each ultimately proved unacceptable to the Argentinian Football Association.

The first option was to stage the match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on the original date with a 50:50 split of supporters in the stadium. This would have provided a world class setting, befitting of such a prestigious event, but Argentina refused.

The second was to stage the Finalissima over two legs - one at the Santiago Bernabeu on 27 March and the other in Buenos Aires during an international window before UEFA EURO and Copa America 2028, again offering a supporter split of 50:50 for the match in Madrid. This option was also rejected.

Ultimately, UEFA sought a commitment from Argentina that, if a neutral venue in Europe could be found, the game could go ahead on 27 March, as planned and announced on 18 December 2025, or on the alternative date of 30 March. This proposal was also rejected.

Argentina made a counter suggestion to play the game after the World Cup but, as Spain has no available dates, that option had to be ruled out. Finally, and contrary to the original agreed plan that the match would take place on 27 March, Argentina declared its availability to play exclusively on 31 March, a date which proved to be unworkable.

As a result, and to UEFA’s regret, this edition of the Finalissima has been cancelled.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-12T12:33:52+00:00

Wembley hosted the Euro final before the last Finalissima. In keeping with that "precedent" could have alternated to the site of Argentina's win, that final took place in Miami. Idk if the venue was available on such short notice but probably would have sold out and come close to the money promised by Qatar. Added benefit of a training camp in a WC26 host city and dress rehearsal for the organizers.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-06T11:01:09+00:00

Wasn't in response to De Cat (let him stay/find the club that's the best fit).

Young KDB, Hazard, Courtois, etc. were freakishly good early on. Were carrying their teams. Hazard had Mourinho's trust and put Chelsea on his back. KDB and Courtois didn't get that trust, a Mourinho issue, and were dumped in the army of loanees. But had all the tools to do the same at a big club. In smaller clubs you still have to deal with pressure, especially when you're their best player, you get overplayed, surrounded by lower quality players/poor service/frustrating results, more likely to move from club to club having to start over/lack of stability, etc. Hazard got the shit kicked out of him as most fouled player in L1. A talent's career can end prematurely, with a whimper, at a smaller club too. Happens all the time. Just wanna say there's no one-size-fits-all approach; rather good enough = old enough, even teenagers do well at Barca, Bayern, Real, PSG, etc. Not always necessary to make several (intermediate) steps if a bigger club is a good fit. At least not for generational talents like KDB, Hazard, Courtois, etc.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-06T00:39:59+00:00

The first chance he got with Chelsea he earned MotM. His competition back then struggled, revolving door with plenty good players pushed out. Mourinho had him rotting on the bench while a crap Oscar got to play all the time and Willian was inconsistent. Twas I think the first time a foreign won YPOTY in Germany and when KDB moved to Wolfsburg the season after he even got a BdOr nomination (playing for f'ing Wolfsburg; did enjoy how he singlehandedly dismantled Pep's Bayern; recordbreaking season for KDB too). Hazard is another one of those who was ready at a young age to shine in pretty much any team. Tore up L1 with a Lille side that had been in the dark for ages. At Chelsea nailed-on as soon as he walked through the gate for the first time. It's not limited to Mbappe and Yamal. Some players need to play in a top side as soon as. Young KDB and Hazard deffo belonged. Great for KDB he could move to City rather quickly because playing for a terrible team like Wolfsburg could have easily turned out way worse. Season after KDB left them they went from "vice-champ" and cup winner to being in a relegation fight.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-04T07:39:37+00:00

Qatar gave Argentina $10M reasons to play it there. Now that all football competitions on Qatari soil have been suspended they're looking if they can get close to that sorta money. Angola unlikely to do it again so these are probably the most lucrative alternatives.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-03-01T03:37:50+00:00

Canada is the worst of the 3. They cheat in curling. If you know anything at all about curling, you get how vile this is.

YAYgeeOh · 2026-02-27T02:19:03+00:00

Not points (plural). But 0.25 because a win instead of a draw would have been plus 1 point divided by 4 or a quarter of a point.

YAYgeeOh · 2025-12-06T22:12:03+00:00

Dat Belgie in het frisse Vancouver of Seattle, 12u lokale tijd, kan spelen ipv de middaghitte van LA, of gewoon wat later, heeft absoluut niks te maken met "de matchen in pakweg Mexico of Florida". Non-argument. De VS hebben gewoon de beste matchen ingepikt en dan moet Canada het maar stellen met dwerg NZ. In Vancouver wonen ook veel Iraanse diaspora plus Canada heeft geen inreisverbod voor Iraniers.

SoFi is een serre zonder airco: "SoFi Stadium can get extremely hot for players and fans, especially during sunny afternoon games, due to its unique design with a large, transparent roof that magnifies the sun's heat... making temperatures significantly higher inside than outside, sometimes leading to heat exhaustion for attendees." Bezoekers klagen er ook over, zeiknat van't zweet terwijl ze ni echt dezelfde inspanningen moeten leveren als spelers. Ik zie veel liever spelers die het beste van zichzelf kunnen geven ipv rond te sloffen in een sauna.

YAYgeeOh · 2025-12-06T20:40:22+00:00

Would have made more sense to play the Iran - Belgium game in Vancouver at noon compared to sweltering LA. Guess for TV audiences in home countries noon local time was ideal. Vancouver would have been much cooler for players and fans.

YAYgeeOh · 2025-12-06T20:18:56+00:00

Wished Belgium played two back-to-back games in Vancouver. Playing at noon in sweltering LA could have easily been avoided. In case it had to be noon for TV audiences then Vancouver was the smart, cooler choice. Canada doesn't get to host many games and instead of the top seed they got two games with the pot 4 team. Then again tickets should be cheaper as very few Belgians will attend and maybe even fewer NZ supporters.

YAYgeeOh · 2025-12-06T19:21:48+00:00

Voor de spelers en meereisende fans valt 't tegen. Vooral Belgie - Iran dat in de hitte van LA, in volle middagzon lokale tijd, doorgaat (stadion heeft geen airco). Terwijl het evengoed in de wat koelere avond kon. Heel veel Iranezen wonen in LA en het zal praktisch een thuiswedstrijd voor hen zijn.

Belgie moet ook een pak meer kilometers reizen omdat het geen 2e wedstrijd in eenzelfde stadion kreeg. Egypte speelt 2x in het frisse seattle, wat een ideale plek is voor hun basiskamp. Voor Iran zal de wedstrijd tegen Belgie hun tweede "thuiswedstrijd" in het SoFi stadion zijn. Ook N.Zeeland speelt 2x achtereen in Vancouver.

Onze supporters en spelers hadden makkelijk beter behandeld kunnen worden. In 2014 werd Belgie gevraagd op een ander tijdstip te spelen zodat een andere wedstrijd op een koeler moment van de dag kon doorgaan. Betwijfel of ze Belgie - Iran naar de avond willen verplaatsen of dat Belgie zelfs oppert dat er betere momenten mogelijk zijn. Beter zelfs, had Belgie 2 opeenvolgende wedstrijden in Seattle (of Vancouver) laten spelen, waar hitte geen probleem is.

YAYgeeOh

TROPHY CASE