Argentina to play final pre-World Cup matches in iconic college football stadiums

Share full articleLionel Messi is going to SEC country. Argentina will play its final two pre-World Cup friendlies at two of the United States’ most iconic college football stadiums. The defending World Cup champions will face off against Honduras on June 6 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, before taking on Iceland on June 9 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. The Argentina-Iceland game will be the first international soccer game held in Jordan-Hare’s 87-year history. Kyle Field previously hosted Mexico-Brazil in June 2024 in front of an announced crowd of 85,249. “To have the reigning FIFA World Cup champions choose Auburn as the site of their last match before defending their title represents a tremendous achievement and an incredible opportunity for Auburn Athletics and Auburn University,” Auburn athletic director John Cohen said in a statement. “This match will bring worldwide attention and exposure to Auburn and our community.” The friendlies only amplify the continually expanding coverage of Messi’s impact in the U.S. Messi has sold out NFL stadiums across the U.S., including Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.; Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.; and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. He played a preseason friendly at the Cotton Bowl in 2024, and now will once again venture into some of the famed home venues of college football. “We look forward to seeing international soccer return to Kyle Field, especially ahead of the World Cup this summer,” Texas A&M athletic director Trev Alberts said in a statement. “This is a very exciting time for soccer across the world as well as in the state of Texas. It will be a great opportunity to welcome fans from all over to our campus and one of the most elite venues in college sports. We are always looking to advance the brand of Texas A&M to grow its established global reach and impact. We know hosting these kinds of events emphasizes that strategy and allows us to continue expanding our footprint.” Messi has scored in 223 different venues, according to a site, MessiStats.com, that tracks the Argentine’s stats, including 32 stadiums in the U.S. If he scores in either of these two friendlies, it will be his first official goal in a college football stadium. A goal in Auburn would be his first goal in Alabama and the 18th state in which he has tallied. (He has scored in four stadiums in Texas.) As for the two matches, which will be played on grass surfaces, Argentina has won all three of its previous meetings with Honduras, including a 3-0 victory in a 2022 friendly in Miami. This will be Argentina’s second meeting with Iceland. They played at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where the small nation stunned La Albiceleste with a 1-1 draw in Iceland’s first match ever at a World Cup. The friendlies will ensure that Argentina enters the World Cup having played seven straight opponents that won’t be taking part this summer across the USA, Mexico and Canada (La Finalissima, the match between reigning Copa América and European Championship winners, and which was supposed to pit Argentina against Spain last month, was canceled). Argentina is in Group J at the World Cup along with Algeria, Austria and Jordan. Tickets for both upcoming Argentina matches go on sale Wednesday, April 15, at 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT, with fans able to register for pre-sale access. The Road to 26 series kicked off in March and involves other World Cup-bound nations such as Brazil, France, Colombia and Egypt. More pre-World Cup games that are part of the series include Brazil-Egypt at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland and Bolivia-Scotland at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J., both on June 6. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Paul Tenorio is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer. He has previously written for the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, FourFourTwo, ESPN and MLSsoccer.com. Follow Paul on Twitter @PaulTenorio