03/15/26 12:22:00
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03/15 12:20 CDT Argentina vs. Spain Finalissima in Qatar called off after
widening of Middle East war
Argentina vs. Spain Finalissima in Qatar called off after widening of Middle
East war
NYON, Switzerland (AP) --- UEFA said Sunday that the game between Argentina and
Spain known as Finalissima that was supposed to be held in Qatar has been
canceled after the widening Middle East war.
The game between South American champion Argentina and European champion Spain
was scheduled to be held in Doha on March 27. It was going to be a marquee
matchup between the teams led by Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal before this
summer's World Cup in North America.
But the security of the game was put into serious doubt when Iran intensified
its attacks on neighboring countries in retaliation to the aerial attacks by
United States and Israel that are now in their third week.
"After much discussion between UEFA and the organizing authorities in Qatar, it
is announced today that due to the current political situation in the region,
the Finalissima between UEFA EURO 2024 winners Spain and CONMEBOL Copa Amrica
2024 champions Argentina cannot be played as hoped in Qatar on 27 March," UEFA
said in a statement.
Argentina and Spain were to play at Lusail Stadium, which staged the epic 2022
World Cup final. Argentina won a penalty shootout against France after Messi
scored twice and Kylian Mbapp got a hat trick in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Other venues had reportedly been considered as alternatives to Doha, including
Spain's capital. UEFA, however, said all other feasible alternatives it
explored "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,"
UEFA said. "This would have provided a world-class setting, befitting of such a
prestigious event, but Argentina refused."
The option of staging the event over two legs --- one in Madrid on March 27,
the other in Buenos Aires before the Euros and Copa America in 2028 --- was
also rejected. Argentina had proposed to play the match later this year after
the World Cup but Spain had no available dates.
South American soccer body Conmebol said in a statement on Sunday that
Argentina's soccer federation (AFA) received an offer from UEFA to play the
match in Italy on March 27, but the defending World Cup and Copa America
champions countered that the game take place on March 31.
"Regrettably, UEFA said the match taking place on the 31st -- only four days
after their original offer -- was not possible, and so the Finalissima was
cancelled," the South American confederation said. "CONMEBOL and AFA regret
deeply that, despite all the efforts and the manifested interest in playing the
match in a neutral ground since the first moment, it was not possible."
Argentina won the inaugural edition of the Finalissima in 2022 with a 3-0
victory over Italy at Wembley Stadium in London.
The violence in the Middle East, where Iran is hitting the Gulf Arab states
with drone and missile attacks, has stranded travelers, upset economic markets
and sent oil prices soaring.
It has also impacted the world of international sport beyond the Finalissima.
Formula 1's races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for April have been
called off due to the war, while President Donald Trump has suggested that Iran
not participate in this summer's World Cup that is co-hosted by the U.S.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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