Argentina Set to Leave Monumental After Messi’s Farewell, River Plate Tensions Behind Move

Just days after Lionel Messi’s emotional farewell at the Monumental Stadium, Argentina’s national team is reportedly preparing to move away from the iconic venue.

According to Argentine newspaper La Nación, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has decided that the national team will no longer play at River Plate’s Monumental Stadium. The deteriorating relationship between AFA president Claudio Tapia and River Plate president Stefano Di Carlo is reportedly one of the main reasons behind the decision.

The move is not expected to have an immediate impact, however. Argentina have no home fixture scheduled before November, meaning there is no immediate deadline for the AFA to find a new venue.

Monumental Hosted Messi’s Final Argentina Match

The decision comes only days after Messi played his final match for Argentina at the Monumental.

On October 6, Argentina faced Benin at the River Plate stadium in what became an emotional farewell for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. More than 85,000 supporters gathered to watch Messi make his final appearance in the Argentina shirt.

The Monumental had also hosted Argentina’s previous match during the same international window, against Burkina Faso.

Yet shortly after Messi’s farewell, the stadium has become the centre of a new dispute involving the AFA and River Plate.

Estadio Único Emerges as Possible Alternative

The Estadio Único in La Plata has emerged as one of the possible alternatives for Argentina’s future home matches. The stadium is undergoing renovation, and there are plans for it to host national-team fixtures.

However, it has not yet been confirmed whether the La Plata venue will become Argentina’s permanent home.

The Monumental has long been one of Argentina’s most important football venues and can accommodate more than 80,000 spectators. Despite its huge capacity, La Nación reports that the AFA is now looking for another stadium amid the worsening relationship between the federation and River Plate.

For now, there is no clear date for when Argentina would officially stop using the Monumental. But if the report proves accurate, one of the most iconic venues in Argentine football could soon lose its place as the national team’s regular home.

Ironically, the change comes immediately after the stadium hosted one of the most emotional nights in Argentina’s recent football history—the farewell of Lionel Messi.