Argentina will begin their World Cup defence with a qualifier against Ecuador on Friday at the Mas Monumental Stadium.
Lionel Messi and co. have won all their games since their 2022 World Cup group defeat at the hands of Saudi Arabia - it's a run that has now stretched to 10 games. The World Champions will be supremely confident of starting their trophy defence with a victory.
Due to their successful qualification for the finals in Qatar, Ecuador would be optimistic about securing a spot in future tournaments, especially now that CONMEBOL offers six automatic berths plus an additional spot through playoffs.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Argentina vs Ecuador kick-off time
| Date: | September 8, 2023 |
| Kick-off time: | 8 pm EDT |
| Venue: | Mas Monumental Stadium |
The game between Argentina and Ecuador will be played at the Mas Monumental Stadium on Friday. Kick-off is at 8 pm EDT for fans in the US.
How to watch Argentina vs Ecuador online - TV channels & live streams
Live on GOAL | GOAL | Live updates |
The fixture will not be shown live on TV in the United Kingdom. Match highlights could be shown on the club's official YouTube channels after the full-time whistle. Live updates can be accessed here on GOAL.
Team news & squads
Argentina team news
Messi is on track to earn his 176th cap for Argentina, with Scaloni likely to name an identical starting eleven to the one that faced France in the World Cup final.
This time, the roster doesn't include Lucas Ocampos, Giovani Lo Celso, and Marcos Acuna, who have all been left out.
Paulo Dybala and Emi Buendia are the most absentees due to injuries missing from the team, but despite leaving the field prematurely during his last game for Manchester United, Lisandro Martinez has been included in the squad.
Argentina predicted XI: E Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister, Alvarez; Messi, L Martinez, Di Maria.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Martínez, Armani, Musso, Benítez |
| Defenders: | Otamendi, Tagliafico, Pezzella, Molina, Montiel, Romero, Foyth, Martínez, Medina, Senesi, Esquivel |
| Midfielders: | Paredes, De Paul, Rodríguez, Palacios, Mac Allister, Fernández, Almada, Buonanotte, Zapelli |
| Forwards: | Paredes, De Paul, Rodríguez, Palacios, Mac Allister, Fernández, Almada, Buonanotte, Zapelli |
Ecuador team news
Enner Valencia, who continues to excel after his move to Internacional, will be looking to make an impact in the final third.
The sole position under discussion for Ecuador is the goalkeeper spot, where Hernan Galindez could potentially be the choice. There are no fresh injury worries for in the Ecuador camp.
Ecuador predicted XI: Galindez; Preciado, Torres, Arboleda, Pacho, Estupinan; Plata, Caicedo, Gruezo, Mena; Valencia.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Domínguez, Galíndez, Ramírez |
| Defenders: | Estupiñán, Arboleda, Preciado, Torres, Pacho, Hurtado, Chávez, Realpe, Ordóñez |
| Midfielders: | Mena, Gruezo, Plata, Caicedo, Cifuentes, Alcívar, Ortiz, Páez |
| Forwards: | Valencia, Julio, Rodríguez |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Ecuador 1 - 1 Argentina | World Cup qualification |
| July 2021 | Argentina 3 - 0 Ecuador | Copa America |
| October 2020 | Argentina 1 - 0 Ecuador | World Cup qualification |
| October 2019 | Ecuador 1 - 6 Argentina | Friendly |
| October 2017 | Ecuador 1 - 3 Argentina | World Cup qualification |