The Argentina national football team will play two friendly matches during the upcoming FIFA international window, marking the beginning of a new era for the 'Albiceleste' in the post-Lionel Messi era.

Argentina will face arch-rivals Uruguay and Costa Rica, according to Argentine media outlet TyC Sports.

The iconic Rio de la Plata derby between Argentina and two-time World Cup winners Uruguay is scheduled for Friday, November 13, in Buenos Aires.

TyC Sports reports that Boca Juniors' historic stadium, La Bombonera, is the leading venue candidate to host the clash.

The Estadio Único in La Plata stands as an alternative option, though it remains under renovation; Argentina's women's team is scheduled to play Germany there in late November.

In their second fixture of the month, Argentina will take on Costa Rica on November 17 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba.

During their last visit to Córdoba, Argentina secured a victory against Bolivia.

The reigning world champions will aim to build on that momentum as they wrap up the final FIFA window of the year.

These two matches carry significant weight for Argentina. The recent match against Benin at the El Monumental stadium marked the final chapter of Messi’s historic international career.

Following that emotional farewell, Argentina will take the field without their long-standing talisman.

Alongside Messi, veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi has also retired from international football, presenting head coach Lionel Scaloni with an opportunity to reshape the squad under new leadership.

Central defender Cristian "Cuti" Romero will take over as captain.

Progress is also expected regarding head coach Scaloni’s contract renewal during the upcoming training camp.

Speaking at a press conference following the match against Benin, Scaloni stated, "If everything goes according to plan, I will continue in my role as head coach."

The encounters against Uruguay and Costa Rica will allow Scaloni to test new players and tactical arrangements.

The fixtures serve as a key opportunity to experiment with squad depth and system variations ahead of the next phase of World Cup qualifiers.

According to reports, the upcoming cycle of World Cup qualifiers is set to commence in March 2027, though Argentina has already secured automatically qualified status as a co-host for the 2030 World Cup.