Lionel Messi World Cup Update: When Will Argentina Star Join Team?
The 2026 World Cup is set to kick off in less than two weeks across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The defending champion Argentinian national team, who beat France in the 2022 World Cup final, arrived on a plane at their home base in Kansas City, Missouri, for this year's tournament on Sunday.
Argentina was the first of four squads to arrive that will have their home base in Kansas City for the competition.
However, Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi was not with the team that got to the central U.S. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is traveling to join the team separately before looking to make a run for a second straight triumph in the World Cup.
Argentina's first training session for this year's World Cup as a complete squad will take place on Monday. After most of the team arrived, Argentinian reporter, Gaston Edul, gave an update on when Messi will join his Argentinian teammates in Kansas City, saying that he will get there on Sunday night.
"We kick off our coverage of the Argentina National Team at the 2026 World Cup," Edul said on X. "This is Argentina's base throughout the entire tournament: Kansas City, Missouri. Tonight Leo Messi arrives and the squad is completed. Tomorrow afternoon is the first training session."
Arrancamos la cobertura de la Selección Argentina en la Copa del Mundo 2026.
— Gastón Edul (@gastonedul) May 31, 2026
Esta es la concentración de Argentina durante todo el Mundial: Kansas City, Misuri.
Esta noche llega Leo Messi y se completa el plantel.
Mañana por la tarde es el primer entrenamiento. pic.twitter.com/cnJIQTRxuP
This tournament will be the seventh World Cup that Messi has competed in for Argentina. In the previous six, he has played in 26 games, totaling 13 goals, including two in the 2022 final, along with eight assists, which is tied with fellow countryman Diego Maradona for the most in World Cup history.
Argentina will begin its campaign on June 16 in its first match of Group J against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
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This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 5:05 PM.