Argentina’s men’s national football team is set to make its World Cup 2026 debut against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City at 10 p.m. Argentina time.

The team coached by Lionel Scaloni aims to become the first South American team to win after Paraguay and Ecuador lost, while Brazil and Uruguay only managed to get draws.

The Albiceleste is in good form after defeating Honduras 2-0 and Iceland 3-0 in its warm-up friendlies. Meanwhile, Algerians are also on a high note after surprisingly defeating the Netherlands 1-0 and thrashing Bolivia 4-0.

Who’s starting for Argentina against Algeria?

The starting 11 for Argentina is still up in the air, with several players arriving at the training camp in the United States with lingering physical issues. However, after the last few workouts, a few things are clear.

The only player outside any contention is Nicolás Tagliafico. The fullback experienced discomfort following Argentina’s friendly against Honduras, with subsequent tests confirming a Grade 1 tear in his left soleus muscle.

He will, however, remain part of the team, with the deadline for squad changes coming and going in the final 24 hours before the debut. Tagliafico is expected to be back in consideration for the second group stage match.

Everything points towards Emiliano Dibu Martínez retaining his spot under the three posts. While the goalkeeper was one of the last players to resume regular practice, he’s been in preparation for almost a week now, without any issues.

In the defense, Cristian “Cuti” Romero is set to feature. The Argentine stalwart defender has had limited playing time since recovering from a right knee lateral ligament strain he sustained in April. 

However, the minutes he played in the two friendlies — 27 minutes against Honduras and 45 against Iceland — were enough to convince Scaloni.

He’ll feature alongside Lisandro Martínez, who beat up Nicolás Otamendi for the spot.

Standing in for Tagliafico will likely be Facundo Medina. The Olympique Marseille man is generally deployed as a centerback but has also played as a fullback and offers greater defensive solidity.

The last remaining spot in the back four will be for one of Nahuel Molina or Gonzalo Montiel, with both having started for Argentina throughout Scaloni’s tenure.

The midfield is perhaps the least surprising. The trio of Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, and Alexis Mac Allister — who first played together in Qatar 2022 — remain Argentina’s core in the middle.

Up top, captain and icon Lionel Messi will lead the attack alongside Thiago Almada.

Lautaro Martínez will likely inch out Julián Álvarez for the number 9 spot. The former River Plate man was recovering from a rolled left ankle sustained while playing for Atlético Madrid, leaving him less time to work out with his teammates.

Scaloni: ‘It’ll be a good test’

Scaloni spoke with the media ahead of the debut, taking questions from the press in a conference alongside vice-captain Otamendi.

“We have to keep people from going overboard; it’s just a football game,” he said about the build-up to Argentina’s title defense. 

In recent hours, clips of Argentine fans getting into a fistfight with their Algerian counterparts during a flag demonstration in New York City went viral on social media. The situation allegedly began after verbal altercations escalated into a physical confrontation. United States outlets reported that security forces later intervened, although there were no reports of injuries or arrests. 

Scaloni insisted that Algeria is a rival similar to Morocco, which posed a serious challenge to Brazil and is coming off a surprise run to the semifinals at Qatar 2022.

“We learned from the last World Cup that this isn’t over after a single match. We’re doing well, we’re confident, and we’re in a good moment,” he said. 

However, Scaloni also insisted on the importance of “not getting overconfident.”

“I’m not saying this out of habit; every rival is tricky and concerns us. It’ll be a good test,” he added.

The Albiceleste coach had an emotional moment as two former teammates, Martín Palermo, whom he met at Estudiantes de La Plata, and Brazil’s Djalminha, who played with him at Deportivo La Coruña, visited him at the press conference.

“I’m getting more emotional every time,” he admitted about reminiscing about his career. “I would’ve never imagined something like this.”

Scaloni insisted that “football is very important” but that there are “larger things in life.”

“In the last few years, we’ve been able to get rid of the weight of expectations. That was key,” he said. “But we’re still as focused as we were before playing against Saudi Arabia [in Qatar 2022]. You don’t need pressure; you need focus. The important thing is to give it your all, regardless of whether the ball goes in. We’ll keep doing it.”

How to watch Argentina vs. Algeria?

Argentina’s game against Algeria is set to kick off at 10 p.m. Argentina time.

It will be broadcast live on TV via Telefe, TyC Sports, DSports, and TV Pública and will be available to stream on DGO, Paramount+, and Disney+ Premium.

Cover image: Selección Argentina Twitter