Buenos Aires is already looking beyond the immediate aftermath of the 2026 World Cup, with the Argentine Football Association working to keep Lionel Scaloni in charge through the next international cycle. A proposal on the table would take the coach as far as July 2030, giving the world champions a measure of continuity as the national side prepares for renewal after Lionel Messi’s departure.
The plan is structured in two stages. Scaloni would first receive a two-year extension running to the 2028 Copa América, followed by an option for a further two years that would cover the road to the 2030 World Cup. His existing agreement is due to end in December 2026.
A decision still to come
Argentina’s football leadership has held discussions with Scaloni, but the arrangement is not yet complete. Financial terms still require agreement, while the final call rests with the coach himself.
Scaloni had raised doubts about remaining in the role in the months following the 2026 World Cup. After Argentina’s final defeat to Spain, he said he needed time to consider his future, although he later left open the possibility of continuing. Messi’s exit from the Albiceleste has added another layer of uncertainty to a side entering a new phase.
For the AFA, the offer is an attempt to preserve the direction established under Scaloni while allowing Argentina to reshape the squad for the years ahead. Whether that path leads through the Copa América in 2028 and onwards to 2030 now depends on the last contractual discussions and the coach’s approval.
