DOHA: After much discussion between UEFA and the organising 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 América 2024 champions Argentina cannot be played as hoped in Qatar on 27 March.
It is a source of great disappointment to UEFA and the organisers that circumstances and timing have denied the teams of the chance to compete for this prestigious prize in Qatar – a country that has demonstrated time and again its capability of staging world class international events in state-of-the-art facilities.
UEFA would like to express its deep gratitude to the organising committee and relevant authorities of Qatar for the work that has been put into trying to host the game and its certainty that peace will return to the region soon.
The Finalissima was introduced as part of the close partnership between UEFA and CONMEBOL and brings together the European and South American champions in a celebration of the highest level of international football. Argentina, the reigning world champions, won the inaugural edition in 2022 with a 3-0 victory over Italy at Wembley Stadium in London.
With strong determination to save the important fixture, and despite the understandable difficulties of relocating a match of such importance at extremely short notice, UEFA explored other feasible alternatives but each 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. This would have provided a world class setting, befitting of such a prestigious event, but Argentina refused.
The second was to stage the Finalissima over two legs – one at the Santiago Bernabeu on 27 March and the other in Buenos Aires during an international window before UEFA EURO and Copa America 2028, again offering a supporter split of 50:50 for the match in Madrid. This option was also rejected.
Ultimately, UEFA sought a commitment from Argentina that, if a neutral venue in Europe could be found, the game could go ahead on 27 March, as planned and announced on 18 December 2025, or on the alternative date of 30 March. This proposal was also rejected.
Argentina made a counter suggestion to play the game after the World Cup but, as Spain has no available dates, that option had to be ruled out. Finally, and contrary to the original agreed plan that the match would take place on 27 March, Argentina declared its availability to play exclusively on 31 March, a date which proved to be unworkable.
As a result, and to UEFA’s regret, this edition of the Finalissima has been cancelled.
UEFA would like to express its sincere thanks to Real Madrid CF and the organising committee and authorities in Qatar for their support and cooperation in attempting to arrange this match. In the case of Real Madrid, their efforts were made at extremely short notice. Thanks are also expressed to the Spanish Football Federation for its flexibility to adapt to all options proposed throughout the process.
(This news has not been edited by KhelUpdates staff and is published from a UEFA press release)
