Buenos Aires is preparing for Lionel Messi’s final Argentina appearance with the Monumental sold out and an official gathering planned just beyond the stadium’s gates for supporters unable to secure a seat.
Argentina will face Benin next Tuesday at the Monumental de Núñez, where all 85,018 places are expected to be occupied for Messi’s farewell match with the national team. The demand reflected the scale of the occasion in a city accustomed to treating its captain’s international nights as public events.
A short sale for a historic night
- General ticket sales opened at 6pm on 24 September through Deportick.
- Prices set by the Argentine Football Association ranged from 90,000 to 480,000 Argentine pesos, depending on the section.
- By around 7.30pm, roughly 90 minutes after sales began, no tickets remained available amid lengthy online queues.
- A limited further release appeared on official platforms last Friday, including Belgrano Alta seats priced at 320,000 pesos, but that allocation also disappeared quickly.
The rush left many supporters outside the ground before the match had even arrived. Juan Carlos, a Buenos Aires taxi driver, was among those who tried unsuccessfully to buy a place.
“We all wanted tickets, of course, but it was impossible,” he said. “The digital system completely collapsed. It is crazy to think this will be the last time, that we will not watch Messi play an official match for Argentina again. Time comes to an end; everything has its moment. Now Messi’s last tango is approaching.”
Argentina come into the occasion after a 7-0 win over Burkina Faso, with the focus now turning from that emphatic result to the captain’s closing international date in Núñez.
Gracias, Leo Fan Fest offers an alternative
The Argentine Football Association will stage the “Gracias, Leo” Fan Fest for those shut out of the Monumental. It will take place at the University of Buenos Aires Sports Ground in Ciudad Universitaria, less than one kilometre from the stadium.
- The event will run from midday until midnight on Tuesday.
- Argentina’s match against Benin will be shown on a giant screen.
- Live music, food, games and interactive activities are planned.
- The programme will also trace Messi’s journey with Argentina, giving the city a second venue from which to mark the farewell.
