Lionel Messi is included in the Argentina squad for two upcoming matches as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign later this month. Argentine manager Lionel Scaloni has selected 28 players on Tuesday for a FIFA international break that occurs between the initial round of the MLS Cup Playoffs and the conference finals.

Messi’s Inter Miami faces a critical playoff match on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET against Atlanta United. The first-round series is currently tied 1-1 between the top-seeded Miami and ninth-seeded Atlanta, with the winner moving on to the Eastern Conference semifinals beginning on November 23.

The games for Argentina are scheduled right in the middle of this playoff period: they will visit Paraguay on November 14 at 6:30 p.m. and host Peru in Buenos Aires on November 19 at 7 p.m.

If he plays in the latter match, it would be only the second time Messi competes in his home country this year, following a remarkable display where he scored three goals and assisted two in a 6-0 victory over Bolivia on October 15.

The short interval between these games may impact Messi’s training and playtime during the MLS playoffs. Inter Miami coach Tata Martino will speak to the media on Friday.

The winner of the Inter Miami versus Atlanta series will take on the victor from the match between No. 4 Orlando City and No. 5 Charlotte, who will also have a decisive Game 3 on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.

After the conference semifinals scheduled for November 23-24, the finals will take place on November 30-December 1. The MLS Cup final is set for December 7.

Messi and Inter Miami are viewed as the frontrunners for the MLS Cup, aiming for a historic season in which they have already secured the Supporters’ Shield and achieved a league record of points (74) in the regular season.

So far, Messi has yet to score and has provided just one assist in the first two playoff matches of his MLS career. He assisted in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win over Atlanta in Game 1, while Atlanta won the second match by the same scoreline.

While Messi is focused on helping Argentina qualify for the next World Cup, he remains uncertain about participating in the tournament for a sixth time. By then, he will be 39 years old, as the World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

“I can’t say for sure. It’s the question I get most, especially in Argentina,” Messi remarked in a recent interview with 433, a soccer content platform. “I hope to conclude this year positively and begin the next one with a solid preseason, which I missed out on last year because of the extensive travels we undertook.”

“After that, I will evaluate how I feel and how things are going. While we are approaching it, there’s still a long way to go, and anything can change in football. I prefer to focus on the present rather than worrying about the future.”