![Messi](https://media.nbcmiami.com/2023/10/GettyImages-1723011900-e1697408299231.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=320%2C180)
Argentina’s Lionel Messi during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Paraguay at the Monumental stadium, in Buenos Aires, Argentina October 12, 2023. (Photo by Matias Baglietto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Lionel Messi's Argentina will play exhibitions against Ecuador on June 9 at Chicago’s Soldier Field and Guatemala five days later at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, ahead of defending its Copa América title.
The games were announced Monday by the Argentina Football Association and Soccer United Marketing.
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Argentina last week scheduled friendlies against El Salvador on March 22 at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Field and against Nigeria four days later at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Those replaced a China tour canceled after Messi didn’t play at Inter Miami’s preseason game in Hong Kong.
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Argentina, the defending world and South American champion, opens the Copa América against Canada or Trinidad and Tobago on June 20 at Atlanta, then plays Chile five days later at East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Peru on June 29 at Miami Gardens, Florida.