Burkina Faso’s friendly against Argentina is under threat after the Etalons’ delegation became stranded in Morocco, with no agreement yet reached on how to get the team to Buenos Aires.
The match is scheduled to take place at the Estadio Monumental in the early hours of Saturday into Sunday. It would follow Burkina Faso’s opening two qualifying matches for the CAN 2027: a 1-1 draw with Benin in Ouagadougou on 25 September and a 0-1 defeat by the Central African Republic in Casablanca on 28 September.
The Burkina Faso Football Federation (FBF) said the disruption was caused by a logistical problem and confirmed that a flight due to leave on Wednesday had been cancelled.
The situation has caused growing concern among supporters, with the squad still unable to travel from Morocco in time for the highly anticipated meeting with the world champions.
Annick Pikbougoum Zingue, Burkina Faso’s minister of sport, FBF president Oumarou Sawadogo and the country’s ambassador to Morocco, Mamadou Coulibaly, have been involved in efforts to find an alternative arrangement. However, they have so far been unable to agree a Plan B with the players.
The FBF said the officials “are personally committed to finding a solution to unblock the situation, allowing the team to reach Buenos Aires as soon as possible and preserve the Etalons’ participation in this international match”.
That statement was intended to reassure supporters, but the uncertainty surrounding the fixture remains.
The game would be the first meeting between Burkina Faso and Argentina in the modern era. It has generated considerable interest among Burkina Faso supporters, particularly because it is expected to be Lionel Messi’s penultimate international appearance for the Albiceleste.
The Etalons’ preparations have therefore been overshadowed by the travel difficulties, while efforts continue to secure an alternative route from Morocco and protect the team’s place in the fixture.
