Warm Up Matches

In a sudden change of plans, the two rivals of Lionel Messi's Argentina prior to the 2026 World Cup have been reportedly revealed. Lionel Messi is in the final stages of his preparation ahead of Argentina‘s campaign at the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico. With just two friendlies remaining before the tournament begins, the Inter Miami star is now dealing with a change of opponent. As announced by AFA, Argentina will face Honduras and Iceland in the two friendlies scheduled for the June international window ahead of the World Cup. The match against Honduras is set for June 6, while the clash against the Icelandic side follows on June 9, leaving Messi and company just one week to regroup before their tournament opener against Algeria on the 16th. The Honduras fixture had long been floated as a possibility, even during the March window when Argentina ultimately faced Mauritania and Zambia. The Iceland match, however, came as a surprise to fans, not because of the opponent itself, but because Serbia had been widely expected to fill the European slot on the schedule. In his press conference on March 26 ahead of the Mauritania game, head coach Lionel Scaloni had spoken with confidence about the June plans: “Regarding the June matches, it is my understanding that one of them will be against Serbia. That is my understanding; we requested it, thanks to the fact that (Claudio) Arzeno is on Serbia’s coaching staff, and we were able to speak with him. If the match can be played, I believe one of our opponents will be Serbia.“ Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after scoring against Zambia. A recent L’Équipe report noted that Argentina’s upcoming opponents carry a combined average ranking of 85th in the FIFA standings, reigniting the debate around the quality of the Albiceleste’s warm-up schedule. While none of the three sides have qualified for the upcoming World Cup, Argentina, ranked third in the latest update, will face Honduras, ranked 66th, and Iceland, ranked 75th, with the originally planned Serbia, ranked 39th, now out of the picture. Messi set for iconic college football venues While the caliber of the opposition may not generate much excitement, the settings certainly will. Messi and his Argentina teammates are set to play in front of massive crowds at two storied college football stadiums ahead of their World Cup title defense. The game against Honduras on June 6 will be held at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, home of the Texas A&M Aggies and one of the largest stadiums in the country with a capacity of 102,733. The venue last hosted a high-profile soccer occasion when Brazil defeated Mexico 3-2 in a friendly that drew an attendance of 85,249, according to ESPN. The clash against Iceland will then take place at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, home of the Auburn Tigers and another iconic Southeastern Conference venue. With a capacity of 87,451 and the game set to be played on a grass surface, it will mark the first time in the stadium’s 87-year history that a soccer match has been played on its field.

Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and Brian McBride analyze Gregg Berhalter's 27-man roster for the USMNT's upcoming friendlies against Colombia and Brazil which will serve as warm-up games ahead of the Copa América. The guys go line-by-line beginning with Sean Johnson's inclusion among the goalkeepers (07:36) before discussing Shaq Moore as a possible replacement for Sergiño Dest at right back (12:53). Further up the field, will Timothy Tillman get a chance to show what he can do in midfield? And who should line up in the center of the park? (23:06) CIWYW's two resident number nine's share their thoughts on the omission of Brandon Vazquez (31:17) and whether Folarin Balogun should be the starter (43:17). And the guys react to Berhalter teasing a possible back three before set out their expectations for the June camp (53:36). Call It What You Want is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts. Follow the Call It What You Want team on X: @JimmyConrad, @CharlieDavies9, @BMcBride20 For more soccer coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ You can also watch Call It What You Want on the CBS Sports Golazo Network for free on connected TVs and mobile devices through the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV, and on CBSSports.com as well as Paramount+. Watch UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, Serie A, Coppa Italia, CONCACAF Nations League, NWSL, Scottish Premiership, Brasileiro, Argentine Primera División, AFC Champion League by subscribing to Paramount+ Sign up to the Golazo newsletter, your ultimate guide to the Beautiful Game as our experts take you beyond the pitch and around the globe with news that matters. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices