How to watch Argentina vs Benin live on Sky Sport and NOW in Italy
Lionel Messi's Argentina farewell against Benin is the television event of the year in Italy, and it belongs to Sky. Here is how to watch it live on Sky Sport and stream it on NOW.
Quick answer
Watch Argentina vs Benin live in Italy on Sky Sport and NOW on the night between Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October 2026. The friendly — Lionel Messi’s farewell in an Argentina shirt — airs live and exclusive on Sky Sport, and streams on NOW. Kickoff is 1:00 AM Italian time from the sold-out Estadio Más Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Which Sky Sport channels will show Argentina vs Benin?
Sky has made Messi’s last dance a flagship night in Italy: the match is live and exclusive on Sky Sport, with the schedule pointing to Sky Sport Calcio for the full broadcast. Italy gets the farewell as an exclusive — a fitting stage, given how many of Scaloni’s players the Italian audience already knows by heart.
Seven of the called-up players play in Serie A: Roma’s Leonardo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé, Como’s Nico Paz, Fiorentina’s Franco Mastantuono, Juventus’ Nico Gonzalez and Inter’s Lautaro Martínez. For Italian viewers this is not a distant friendly between strangers — half the squad has been on their screens every weekend. Confirm the exact channel in the Sky on-screen guide on matchday, as listings can shift.
How to stream Argentina vs Benin on NOW
No Sky box, no problem. NOW is Sky’s streaming platform in Italy and carries the Sky Sport channels live online with a Sport pass — on phones, tablets, computers and smart TVs. It is the same feed as the TV channels, with the same pre-match build-up and commentary, minus the satellite dish.
Activate or renew the Sport pass before the night, log in on your device of choice, and open the Sky Sport channel showing the match. For a 1:00 AM kickoff, the phone-on-the-nightstand option has a lot to be said for it — just make sure the app is updated and you are signed in well before the teams walk out.
What time does Argentina vs Benin start in Italy?
Kickoff is Tuesday 6 October at 20:00 in Buenos Aires (23:00 UTC). Italy runs two hours ahead of UTC in October (CEST), so the match starts at 1:00 AM on Wednesday 7 October Italian time. Sky and NOW hold all three of Argentina’s October friendlies exclusively — the Italy times are:
- Wednesday 1 October, 2:00 AM — Argentina vs Bolivia
- Sunday 4 October, 2:00 AM — Argentina vs Burkina Faso
- Wednesday 7 October, 1:00 AM — Argentina vs Benin, Messi’s farewell
This is exactly the kind of late kickoff people sleep through and regret for years. Set two alarms.
Do you need a Sky or NOW subscription to watch?
Yes. Sky Sport is pay-TV and NOW’s Sport pass is a paid subscription — there is no free legal way to watch Argentina vs Benin in Italy, and it is not on free-to-air channels. If you already have Sky with the Sport package, you are set; otherwise NOW’s Sport pass is the flexible route, with no long contract and no dish installation.
What you should not do is hunt for pirate streams. They are illegal, they buffer and die at the worst possible moments, and for a once-in-a-lifetime farewell that is a miserable gamble. Sort the subscription before matchday and watch it properly.
Key takeaways
- Argentina vs Benin — Messi’s Argentina farewell — is live and exclusive on Sky Sport in Italy, streaming on NOW, on the night of 6–7 October 2026.
- Kickoff is 1:00 AM Italian time (CEST) on Wednesday 7 October.
- Watch on Sky Sport Calcio; stream the same feed on NOW with a Sport pass — no dish needed.
- Messi plays only the Benin friendly of Argentina’s three October games, per Argentine press reports.
- A Sky Sport package or NOW Sport pass is required; it is not on free-to-air TV.
Don't miss Messi's last dance
This is the last time Lionel Messi wears the Argentina shirt — in front of a sold-out Monumental, with his 2022 World Cup-winning teammates invited back to honour him, and seven Serie A players in the squad. In Italy there is exactly one place to watch it live: Sky Sport, or NOW if you stream.
Get the subscription sorted before the night, set the alarm for 1:00 AM, and check our full country-by-country TV guide if you will be anywhere else. On the night, follow every goal with our live score.
Questions people ask
What channel is Argentina vs Benin on Sky Sport?
The farewell airs live and exclusive on Sky Sport Calcio in Italy, with coverage also expected on Sky Sport 24. Confirm the exact listing in the Sky on-screen guide or the Sky Sport schedule on matchday, as channel assignments can shift.
Can I stream Argentina vs Benin on NOW?
Yes. NOW is Sky's streaming platform in Italy and carries the Sky Sport channels live with a Sport pass. It works on phones, tablets, computers and smart TVs, so no satellite dish or Sky box is needed. Sign in, pick the Sky Sport channel showing the match and watch from 1:00 AM.
What time does Argentina vs Benin start in Italy?
Kickoff is Tuesday 6 October at 20:00 in Buenos Aires, which is 23:00 UTC and 1:00 AM on Wednesday 7 October in Italy (CEST, UTC+2). Set the alarm — it is a late one, and this is the farewell you do not want to wake up to as a highlight reel.
Is Argentina vs Benin free to watch in Italy?
No. Sky Sport is a pay-TV service and NOW's Sport pass is a paid subscription, so there is no free legal way to watch the match in Italy. It is not on free-to-air TV. Steer clear of pirate streams: they are illegal and tend to collapse right when Messi touches the ball.
Will Messi definitely play against Benin?
Yes. Argentine press reporting confirms Messi will play only the last of Argentina's three October friendlies — the Benin game — before stepping away from the national team. Scaloni's squad is built around the occasion, with seven Serie A players including Lautaro Martínez called up.
Which other Argentina friendlies are on Sky and NOW?
Sky and NOW carry all three of Argentina's October friendlies exclusively: Bolivia in the night between 30 September and 1 October (2:00 AM), Burkina Faso in the night between 3 and 4 October (2:00 AM), and the Benin farewell in the night between 6 and 7 October (1:00 AM).