When is Lionel Messi’s next game? Inter Miami star targets CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal spot

Lionel Messi is still making history at 38 years old, remaining a cornerstone and captain for both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. With the 2026 Major League Soccer season now underway, fans are wondering when they’ll see the forward back in action.

Lionel Messi’s next match is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, when Inter Miami will host Nashville SC at the Chase Stadium for the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16. Messi and company will be looking for the qualification to the next round after a scoreless draw in the first leg last Wednesday.

As for international duty with Argentina national team, Lionel Messi is set to return to action during the March international window. However, the Albiceleste’s schedule has taken a significant hit, with the Finalissima against Spain on Friday the 27th now officially canceled, along with the planned friendly against Qatar on Tuesday the 31st.

The 2026 MLS campaign has only just begun for Messi, who has featured in four official matches so far across all competitions, scoring thrice without registering an assist. The opener came against LAFC, who handed Inter Miami a 3-0 defeat in front of a packed crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Lionel Messi and the task of defending the World Cup title

The year 2026 will be especially significant for Messi, not only because of Inter Miami’s ambitions but also because he’ll head into the 2026 World Cup aiming to defend the title. The triumph in Qatar in 2022 marked one of the defining peaks of his career, and now in North America he’ll enter another tournament wearing the champions’ badge for the first time.

Drawn into Group J, Argentina will open its campaign against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16, in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. The second match will be against Austria on Monday the 22nd in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, before closing the group stage against Jordan on Saturday the 27th, also in Texas.

The Argentina FA has announced that the national team will base itself in Kansas City during the tournament, though training facilities have yet to be confirmed. Expected to be his final World Cup appearance, Messi will have a chance to add to his record haul with a squad coached by Lionel Scaloni that remains one of the strongest in international soccer after winning the last World Cup and back-to-back Copa América titles.