Argentina beat Benin 3-0 at the Más Monumental on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 in Lionel Messi’s international farewell. Messi assisted the first two goals and converted a 71st-minute penalty for his 126th Argentina goal. The result and highlights report has the scorers and the reaction; the times further down covered the same kick-off in other countries.
Argentina vs Benin Quick Facts
Argentina and Benin have not played each other at senior level before. The match is at the Más Monumental in Núñez. Argentina opened this window by beating Bolivia 4-0 in Córdoba, then beat Burkina Faso 7-0 in Buenos Aires. Messi did not play against Burkina Faso. Benin closes the run.
| Fixture | Argentina vs Benin |
|---|---|
| Result | Argentina 3-0 Benin (half-time 0-0), 6 October 2026 |
| Competition | International Friendly (FIFA International Window) |
| Date | Tuesday, 6 October 2026 |
| Kick-off Time | 20:00 Argentina time (ART, UTC−3), which is 23:00 UTC |
| Stadium | Estadio Más Monumental, Núñez, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Stadium Capacity | 85,018 spectators (Sold out via Deportick in under two hours) |
| Official FIFA Ranking | Argentina: #2 (1,970 points) | Benin: #93 (1,252 points) |
| Head-to-Head Record | 1 prior senior meeting (Argentina 3-0 Benin, 6 Oct 2026) |
| Key Narrative | Lionel Messi’s farewell match with Argentina |
Argentina vs Benin Live Streaming Free
In Argentina the friendly is on TyC Sports, Telefe and DSports, and also on TyC Sports Play, MiTelefe, Flow, DGO and Telecentro Play. The same search, where to watch Argentina national football team vs Benin national football team, now has a live stream in a few other places: ViX and Prime Video in the United States, Premier Sports 2 in Britain, DAZN in Japan and Sportdigital in Germany, Sky Sport and NOW in Italy, Movistar+ in Spain, L’Équipe Live Foot in France, Ge TV in Brazil, ViX Premium in Mexico and Puerto Rico, TyC Sports Internacional in Chile, ZEE5 in India, Kantipur Max in Nepal, beIN Sports 3 in Australia and New Zealand, Ziggo Sport 1 in the Netherlands, and Sky Sport Calcio in San Marino. Honduras is on Canal 11. Shasha, a Kuwait app, is the named live stream in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE and Yemen. It is not a local television channel. Canada is still to be confirmed. Unofficial streams are left out. For Argentina vs Benin live TV, use the licensed channel in your country from the table below; Argentina vs Benin live streaming runs through each broadcaster's own app, listed next to its channel.
Argentina vs Benin live on TV
On television in Argentina, Telefe is free-to-air, TyC Sports is the sports channel, and DSports is also named. Britain’s listing is Premier Sports 2. Spain’s is Movistar+. Italy’s is Sky Sport. Germany’s is Sportdigital, France’s is L’Équipe Live Foot, Brazil’s is Ge TV, Chile’s is TyC Sports Internacional, the Netherlands is Ziggo Sport 1, and Australia and New Zealand are on beIN Sports 3. San Marino’s is Sky Sport Calcio. FOX, BBC, ITV and Optus are still not this friendly. Canada has no TV channel named.
Argentina vs Benin live stream
The apps in Argentina are TyC Sports Play, MiTelefe, Flow, DGO and Telecentro Play. In the US the live stream is ViX and Prime Video. In Japan it is DAZN and in Germany it is Sportdigital. In Italy it is NOW, with Sky. In Spain it is Movistar+ online. In France it is L’Équipe Live Foot. In Brazil it is Ge TV, free on YouTube. In Mexico and Puerto Rico it is ViX Premium. In Chile it is TyC Sports Internacional. In India it is ZEE5 and in Nepal Kantipur Max. In Australia and New Zealand it is beIN Sports 3. In the Netherlands it is Ziggo Go. In San Marino it is NOW, with Sky. Honduras is Canal 11. Shasha is the app named for the Arab countries in the table below. Canada still has no legal stream named.
Argentina vs Benin live stream free
Telefe and its app, MiTelefe, are the free way to watch in Argentina. TyC Sports Play is not free. DAZN, Sky, Movistar+, Premier Sports and ViX are subscription streams. Ge TV in Brazil is free on YouTube. A free stream for the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, France or Australia has not been confirmed. YouTube and Telegram links are not treated as official.
Argentina vs Benin Live Score
Follow the Argentina vs Benin live score with real-time automated match tracking directly below. The scoreboard connects directly to official sports data feeds to display live goals, assists, disciplinary cards, substitutions, and half-time statistics from the pitch in Buenos Aires.
The match center carried the night to the final whistle: Otamendi 48′, Paz 61′, Messi (pen) 71′. Messi played the full 90 minutes of his 208th and final Argentina appearance.
Live Matchday Updates
Full time: Argentina 3-0 Benin in Messi’s farewell — report and scorers. Messi’s 126th Argentina goal came from the penalty spot in the 71st minute; he assisted the other two.
Argentina beat Burkina Faso 7-0 in Buenos Aires. Messi did not play. Benin on Tuesday is still the farewell.
DSports is now also named in Argentina, with TyC Sports and Telefe. The Netherlands is on Ziggo Sport 1. New Zealand is on beIN Sports 3, the same channel already listed for Australia.
Lionel Messi has landed in Argentina for his final farewell match against Benin.
Messi's parade, Ronaldo's walkout: how the two greats' final international goodbyes are shaping up.
Argentina thrashed Bolivia 4-0 in Córdoba — two goals in each half — in their first match since Messi's international retirement.
Lionel Messi has completed the takeover of Spanish second-division club CD Eldense, days before his Argentina farewell.
FIFA's tournament numbering rules block Argentina from retiring Messi's No. 10 shirt after the farewell.
Messi won the MLS Goal of the Matchday award for his curler against Nashville SC, with 60.5% of the fan vote.
Lamine Yamal has revealed what he told Messi after the World Cup final: "Thank you for everything you gave football."
A look at Lionel Messi's best moments with Argentina, from the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 World Cup to the Benin farewell.
The University of Buenos Aires will give Lionel Messi a Doctor Honoris Causa on 6 October, before Argentina vs Benin. The ceremony minute is still to be confirmed.
Live streams named since the last check: DAZN in Japan, Sky Sport and NOW in Italy, Movistar+ in Spain, Premier Sports 2 in the UK, and Prime Video alongside ViX in the US.
Kick-off is 20:00 in Buenos Aires on Tuesday 6 October 2026 (23:00 UTC). AFA set that hour.
All 85,018 tickets at the Más Monumental sold out within two hours on Deportick.
AFA officially confirmed Lionel Messi’s farewell fixture against Benin on 6 October, with senior teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Nicolás Otamendi joining the squad for this match.
Argentina vs Benin TV Channel
These are the countries where a broadcaster or app has been named. Canada and Benin are still not on that list.
| Country | Official TV | Live stream | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | TyC Sports, Telefe, DSports | TyC Sports Play, MiTelefe, Flow, DGO, Telecentro Play | Named |
| United States | Not named | ViX and Prime Video. TUDN Radio for commentary. | Named |
| United Kingdom | Premier Sports 2 | Premier Sports | Named |
| Ireland | Premier Sports | Premier Sports | Named. UK listings say channel 2. |
| Spain | Movistar+ | Movistar+ | Named |
| Italy | Sky Sport | NOW | Named |
| Japan | Not named | DAZN | Named. Subscription. |
| Honduras | Canal 11 | Canal 11, if that channel is in the package | Named |
| Kuwait | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Bahrain | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Qatar | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Saudi Arabia | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| United Arab Emirates | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Oman | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Egypt | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Jordan | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Iraq | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Lebanon | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Palestine | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Syria | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| Yemen | Not named | Shasha | App, not a local TV channel |
| India | Not named | ZEE5 | Named. Subscription. |
| Nepal | Not named | Kantipur Max | Named. Subscription. |
| France | Not named | L'Équipe Live Foot | Named. Subscription. |
| Germany | Not named | Sportdigital | Named. Subscription. |
| San Marino | Sky Sport Calcio | NOW | Named. Subscription. |
| Brazil | Ge TV | Ge TV YouTube, free | Named. Free. |
| Chile | TyC Sports Internacional | TyC Sports | Named. Subscription. |
| Mexico | Not named | ViX Premium | Named. Subscription. |
| Puerto Rico | Not named | ViX Premium | Named. Subscription. |
| Australia | beIN Sports 3 | beIN Sports Connect | Named. Subscription. |
| New Zealand | beIN Sports 3 | beIN Sports Connect | Named. Subscription. |
| Netherlands | Ziggo Sport 1 | Ziggo Go | Named. Subscription. |
Shasha counts only if the listing shows this match’s hour. No pirate streams.
Argentina vs Benin Kickoff Time
The stadium clock is 20:00 on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 in Buenos Aires (23:00 UTC). Twenty-five countries are below. Where a country has more than one clock, the row is the main city on that page: New York, Toronto, São Paulo, Mexico City, Jakarta and Sydney.
| Country | Timezone | Kickoff | Local date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | ART (UTC−3) | 8:00pm | Tuesday, 6 Oct 2026 |
| Brazil (São Paulo) | UTC−3 | 8:00pm | Tuesday, 6 Oct 2026 |
| United States (New York) | EDT (UTC−4) | 7:00pm | Tuesday, 6 Oct 2026 |
| Canada (Toronto) | EDT (UTC−4) | 7:00pm | Tuesday, 6 Oct 2026 |
| Mexico (Mexico City) | CST (UTC−6) | 5:00pm | Tuesday, 6 Oct 2026 |
| United Kingdom | BST (UTC+1) | Midnight | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Ireland | IST (UTC+1) | Midnight | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Portugal | WEST (UTC+1) | Midnight | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Nigeria | WAT (UTC+1) | Midnight | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Spain | CEST (UTC+2) | 1:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| France | CEST (UTC+2) | 1:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Germany | CEST (UTC+2) | 1:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Italy | CEST (UTC+2) | 1:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Netherlands | CEST (UTC+2) | 1:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| South Africa | SAST (UTC+2) | 1:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Egypt | EEST (UTC+3) | 2:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Saudi Arabia | AST (UTC+3) | 2:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Qatar | AST (UTC+3) | 2:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| United Arab Emirates | GST (UTC+4) | 3:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Pakistan | PKT (UTC+5) | 4:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| India | IST (UTC+5:30) | 4:30am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Bangladesh | UTC+6 | 5:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Indonesia (Jakarta) | WIB (UTC+7) | 6:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Japan | JST (UTC+9) | 8:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Australia (Sydney) | AEDT (UTC+11) | 10:00am | Wednesday, 7 Oct 2026 |
On 6 October 2026 the UK is still on British Summer Time and the US East Coast is still on Eastern Daylight Time. Sydney moves to AEDT on 4 October. Chicago, Los Angeles, Perth and the other Brazilian clocks are on the country pages, not in this row.
Argentina vs Benin Prediction
Tactically, Argentina enters this fixture as heavy favourites against Benin, underpinned by Lionel Scaloni’s established tactical structure, world-class midfield dominance, and home advantage at the Monumental. Following their runners-up finish at the 2026 World Cup — and a 4-0 friendly win over Bolivia to open the October window — the Albiceleste possess enormous technical superiority and tactical depth across all departments.
Under veteran German head coach Gernot Rohr, Benin have used a 4-2-3-1 in the qualifier matches, and a low block is the likelier plan here, looking to congest the central channels and disrupt Argentina’s progressive passing lanes through Sessi D'Almeida and Junior Olaitan. Benin’s attacking output will rely on direct transitions and set pieces. Sessi D'Almeida has captained the recent qualifier matches.
Argentina's control of tempo through Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister, paired with Lionel Messi’s creative vision in the final third, is expected to steadily break down Benin’s resistance. A comfortable multi-goal victory for Argentina with a defensive clean sheet represents the most realistic reading.
18+ Match Analysis: This breakdown represents editorial football tactical analysis and does not constitute financial or betting advice.
Argentina vs Benin Confirmed Lineups
The official starting XIs were confirmed about an hour before kick-off at the Estadio Más Monumental. Messi starts his farewell as captain in Argentina's 4-3-3; Benin line up 4-2-3-1. Full teamsheets and notable calls are on the confirmed lineups page:
| Position | Argentina (4-3-3 Confirmed) | Benin (4-2-3-1 Confirmed) |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Emiliano Martínez (Chelsea) | Marcel Dandjinou (Kruger United) |
| Right Back | Agustín Giay (Palmeiras) | Tamimou Ouorou (CSKA Sofia) |
| Center Back | Cristian Romero (Atlético de Madrid) | Yohan Roche (Iraklis) |
| Center Back | Nicolás Otamendi (River Plate) | Mohamed Tijani (Yverdon Sport) |
| Left Back | Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon) | Liam Omore (club to be confirmed) |
| Central Midfield | Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami) | Sessi D'Almeida (Neftçi Baku) |
| Central Midfield | Enzo Fernández (Manchester City) | Hassane Imourane (Grasshoppers) |
| Central Midfield | Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool) | Junior Olaitan (Beşiktaş) |
| Forward | Lionel Messi (Captain — Inter Miami) | Yamirou Ouorou (AC Horsens) |
| Forward | Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid) | Rodolfo Aloko (Charlotte FC) |
| Forward | Lautaro Martínez (Inter) | Tosin Aiyegun (Lorient) |
Squad News, Injuries & Suspensions
- Argentina Absences: Juan Foyth and Thiago Almada are sidelined through injury. Nahuel Molina and Leandro Paredes were omitted following international disciplinary sanctions.
- Argentina Benin-Only Squad Additions: Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, Giovani Lo Celso, and Nicolás Otamendi were selected specifically for this Benin farewell match rather than the preceding friendlies.
- Benin Squad Profile: Gernot Rohr named 25 players for this window. Junior Olaitan, Sessi D'Almeida and Yohan Roche are in that call-up. Steve Mounié was not named.
- Lineups Confirmed: The official match sheets were confirmed about an hour before kick-off. Messi starts his 208th and final Argentina appearance as captain, with Nicolás Otamendi also in the starting XI for his farewell. Agustín Giay starts at right-back; Benin hand Liam Omore a start at left-back.
Argentina vs Benin Squads
Provisional squad — to be confirmed. These are the latest reported call-ups for the 6 October friendly, not the matchday teamsheet. Shirt numbers have not been published.
Clubs below are the ones named with this call-up. Where a club was not stated, it stays as “to be confirmed”. More detail sits with the Argentina and Benin squad notes.
Argentina Squad
Lionel Scaloni still has 35 players in the window squad after two injury withdrawals. Messi, De Paul, Lo Celso and Otamendi are only due for the Benin match, not the earlier friendlies.
Goalkeepers
Emiliano Martínez Chelsea
Juan Musso Atlético Madrid
Gerónimo Rulli Manchester City- Santiago Beltrán River Plate
Defenders
Agustín Giay Palmeiras
Leonardo Balerdi Roma
Cristian Romero Atlético Madrid
Lisandro Martínez Manchester United
Facundo Medina Bayer Leverkusen
Nicolás Tagliafico Lyon
Román Vega Zenit- Santiago Simón Toluca
Valentín Gómez Real Betis- Tomás Palacios Estudiantes
Nicolás Otamendi River Plate Benin match only
Midfielders
Enzo Fernández Manchester City
Alexis Mac Allister Liverpool
Valentín Barco Chelsea
Giovani Lo Celso Real Betis Benin match only
Exequiel Palacios Ipswich Town
Rodrigo De Paul Inter Miami Benin match only
Nicolás Paz Como
Equi Fernández Bayer Leverkusen- Tobías Andrada River Plate
Forwards
Franco Mastantuono Fiorentina
Matías Soulé Roma
Giuliano Simeone Atlético Madrid
Nicolás González Juventus- Gianluca Prestianni Benfica
José Manuel López Palmeiras
Santiago Castro Roma
Julián Álvarez Atlético Madrid
Lautaro Martínez Inter
Lionel Messi Inter Miami Benin match only- Leonel Flores Boca Juniors
Benin Squad
Gernot Rohr named 25 players for the AFCON qualifiers and this friendly. Sessi D'Almeida has captained the qualifier matches. Who travels to Buenos Aires is still to be confirmed.
Goalkeepers
- Marcel Dandjinou Kruger United
Saturnin Allagbé Club to be confirmed- Serge Obassa Club to be confirmed
Defenders
- Yohan Roche Iraklis
- Mohamed Tijani Yverdon
- Charlemagne Azongnitodé TPS
Tamimou Ouorou CSKA Sofia- Amiro Amadou Club to be confirmed
- Iréné Glélé Club to be confirmed
- Rachid Moumini Club to be confirmed
- Liam Omore Club to be confirmed
Midfielders
Sessi D'Almeida Neftçi Baku
Junior Olaitan Beşiktaş- Hassane Imourane Grasshoppers
- Dodo Dokou Arab Contractors
- Mattéo Ahlinvi Farul Constanța
- Samadou Attidjikou Smouha
Forwards
- Rodolfo Aloko Charlotte FC
- Tosin Aiyegun Lorient
- Yamirou Ouorou AC Horsens
- Olatoundji Tessilimi Dukla Prague
- Joseph Ede Oloko Liepāja
- Jodel Dossou Club to be confirmed
- Sahid Ngobi Club to be confirmed
- Junior Olugbade Club to be confirmed
Ruled out of Argentina vs Benin
- Juan Foyth (Villarreal). Out — injury. A muscle problem took him out of the whole window.
- Thiago Almada (River Plate). Out — injury. A grade 1 tear in the left quadriceps took him out of the whole window.
Argentina vs Benin from the official account
Three posts from @Argentina, the national team’s own X account. The words below are theirs. This site is not AFA and does not run that account.
#SelecciónMayor Lista de convocados para los próximos amistosos.
#SelecciónMayor Horarios confirmados para los próximos amistosos.
#SelecciónMayor La venta de entradas para los encuentros ante Burkina Faso y Benín comenzará el jueves 24 de septiembre.
Argentina vs Benin Questions
When is Argentina vs Benin?
Tuesday, 6 October 2026, at the Estadio Más Monumental in Buenos Aires. Kick-off is 20:00 Argentina time, 23:00 UTC.
Where can I watch Argentina vs Benin live stream?
In Argentina the match is on TyC Sports, Telefe and DSports, and Telefe plus MiTelefe are free. In the UK it is on Premier Sports 2. In the US the live stream is on ViX and Prime Video. Japan is on DAZN, Italy on Sky Sport and NOW, Spain is on Movistar+, Germany is on Sportdigital, France is on L’Équipe Live Foot, Brazil is on Ge TV (free), Mexico is on ViX Premium, Chile is on TyC Sports Internacional, India is on ZEE5, Nepal is on Kantipur Max, Australia and New Zealand are on beIN Sports 3, the Netherlands is on Ziggo Sport 1, Puerto Rico is on ViX and San Marino is on Sky Sport Calcio. Shasha is the named app in Kuwait and several other Arab countries. Canada does not have a live stream named yet. Honduras is on Canal 11.
Did Messi play against Benin?
Yes — he played the full 90 minutes of his 208th and final Argentina appearance, scoring his 126th goal from the penalty spot and assisting the other two.
Where is the official ticket seller?
Deportick. The Más Monumental allocation sold out. Do not use unofficial resale links.
What was the full-time score?
Argentina 3-0 Benin (half-time 0-0). Messi scored a 71st-minute penalty and assisted the other two goals.
Who broadcasts Argentina vs Benin on TV?
In Argentina the channels are TyC Sports, Telefe and DSports. In the UK the channel is Premier Sports 2. In the US the live stream is on ViX and Prime Video. Japan is DAZN, Italy is Sky Sport and NOW, Spain is Movistar+, Germany is Sportdigital, France is L’Équipe Live Foot, Brazil is Ge TV, Mexico is ViX Premium, Chile is TyC Sports Internacional, India is ZEE5, Nepal is Kantipur Max, Australia and New Zealand are beIN Sports 3, the Netherlands is Ziggo Sport 1, Puerto Rico is ViX and San Marino is Sky Sport Calcio. Shasha is the named app in several Arab countries, not a local TV channel. Canada does not have a TV channel named yet. Honduras is Canal 11.