The friendly between Argentina and Burkina Faso will go ahead on Saturday, but the Etalons are expected to arrive in Buenos Aires only hours before kick-off with a heavily reshaped squad.
After several days of uncertainty over their travel arrangements, Burkina Faso finally left Casablanca on a special flight bound for the Argentine capital. Amir Abdou’s side are due to face the world runners-up at the Monumental.
The delegation is expected to land at about 13:00-13:30 local time, with the match scheduled to begin at 21:00. That leaves the players fewer than eight hours between arriving in Argentina and taking to the field.
The difficult circumstances are compounded by the absence of several established players. The Federation Burkinabe de Football said members of the A’ selection had been called up at short notice to complete the squad, while local media have also reported that U23 players could be involved.
Burkina Faso’s preparations have already included two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches. They drew 1-1 with Benin in Ouagadougou before beating Central African Republic 1-0 in Casablanca, followed by a journey of almost 12 hours to South America.
That schedule leaves the Etalons facing Argentina after a significant amount of travel and with little time to recover.
The trip had appeared in serious doubt in recent days. Burkina Faso had initially been expected to travel to Buenos Aires after the match against Central African Republic, but its departure was postponed several times.
The Federation Burkinabe de Football said the flight due to leave on 30 September had been cancelled without notice. On two occasions, the players had prepared to leave their hotel before being told to return, placing the fixture under genuine threat.
The disruption also affected preparations on the ground. The players refused to take part in a training session requested by Amir Abdou.
Questions over the financial arrangement
The dispute appears to extend beyond the cancelled flight. Journalist Romain Molina reported that the Asociacion del Futbol Argentino (AFA) had appointed a specialist company to arrange several matches against African national teams.
Under the reported agreement, the opposing delegation’s travel, accommodation and expenses are covered, but there is no appearance fee or sharing of the revenue generated by the fixture.
That would leave income from ticket sales, television rights and sponsorship with the Argentine side. The same model was reportedly used for a previous friendly against Mauritania, prompting criticism of the arrangement.
Argentina’s sporting prestige is therefore being used commercially against African teams of more modest standing, which are likely to view a match against the two-time world champions as a major opportunity.
For Burkina Faso, that opportunity has ultimately outweighed the complications. Amir Abdou had warned his players that facing Argentina in Buenos Aires could be a once-in-a-career experience.
The question now is how the Etalons will cope physically when they reach the Monumental after such a disrupted journey.
