What to know about defending World Cup champs Argentina & their base camp in KC
The long-reported rumors are true: The defending FIFA World Cup champions will call Kansas City home for the summer.
Argentina’s national soccer team made it official in a statement Wednesday, Feb. 4, that they’ll have their base camp for the tournament in the Kansas City area.
“Ahead of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Argentine national team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will be based in Kansas City for a significant portion of the tournament,” the Argentine Football Association said on its website, translated from Spanish.
The AFA said it picked Kansas City for its proximity between match locations and the amenities available. Argentina plays its first match of the 2026 World Cup against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Who are Argentina’s stars? How many times have they won the World Cup? Have any of their players been to Kansas City before? Before they make their move to Kansas City for the tournament, here’s what you need to know about the Argentine national team.
Who’s on Argentina’s roster?
While the World Cup rosters aren’t finalized yet, it’s expected that one big name is coming to Kansas City: Lionel Messi.
The team captain is known as one of the greatest soccer players in the sport’s long history and was key in securing the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He hasn’t confirmed his return, but Scaloni and coaches with his MLS team Inter Miami believe he’ll make one final international appearance before retiring.
It would mark his second appearance at Arrowhead Stadium and his third playing in the Kansas City area. Most recently, Miami traveled to Sporting Park to play Sporting KC in February 2025.
Other players expected to make the roster and play a role in defending their World Cup crown are forwards Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez, midfielder Rodrigo De Paul and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
Scaloni will also return as the team’s manager. Since he became the manager, Argentina has also won the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles and the 2022 Finalissima.
Has Argentina won the World Cup before?
Before Argentina’s World Cup victory in 2022, the nation laid claim to two previous World Cups, winning in 1978 and 1986.
They were the host country in 1978, and defeated the Netherlands 3-1 in the final. The tournament came in the midst of a military dictatorship in Argentina, also called the Dirty War.
Argentina’s second World Cup victory also came with controversy, but this time on the pitch. On their way to the final, captain Diego Maradona scored the opening goal in the country’s quarterfinal match against England using his hand, which went undetected by referees.
The goal is called “the Hand of God” and is one of the most famous goals in soccer history. Maradona also scored the “Goal of the Century” in the same game to help Argentina defeat England 2-1, and later win the World Cup by defeating West Germany 3-2.
Where are they staying in Kansas City?
Argentina will practice at Compass Mineral Sporting Fields in Kansas City, Kansas where Sporting KC practices. The Kansas City MLS team confirmed that Thursday, Feb. 6.
The AFA said it made multiple trips to Kansas City with trainers Luis Martín and Juan Tamone, along with administrators Daniel Cabrera and Alberto Pernas.
“The Kansas City metropolitan area is the largest, most influential and most important economy in its region, historically alongside Chicago and Cincinnati,” the AFA said on its website.
The Star’s Pete Grathoff contributed to this report
