For much of the last two decades, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been inextricably linked in soccer’s collective consciousness. The pair have defined soccer’s modern era, collecting Ballon d’Or awards, breaking goal-scoring records, and representing their country in the FIFA World Cup since 2006.
It’s 2026 now, which means this could very well be the pair’s last hurrah on the biggest stage of them all. Here’s everything you need to know about their participation, schedules, and whether the two legends could meet one final time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Is Lionel Messi Playing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Yes. Messi is part of defending champions Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Inter Miami star will also be celebrating his 39th birthday on June 24 during the group stage of the tournament.
While Messi may no longer be playing at the highest level in Europe, he remains the talisman of Argentina’s squad, alongside stars such as Rodrigo De Paul and Julián Álvarez.
After captaining La Albiceleste to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, Messi will now attempt to lead Argentina to a feat not achieved in more than six decades: winning back-to-back World Cup titles. The only nations to accomplish that are Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962).
The 2026 tournament will be Messi’s sixth World Cup appearance since making his debut in Germany in 2006.
Messi and Argentina 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J schedule
- Match 1: vs. Algeria
FOX, Telemundo | 9:00 p.m. ET (Tuesday, June 16) - Match 2: vs. Austria
FOX, Telemundo | 1:00 p.m. ET (Monday, June 22) - Match 3: vs. Jordan
FOX, Telemundo | 10:00 p.m. ET (Saturday, June 27)
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Is Cristiano Ronaldo Playing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Yes. Ronaldo is also part of Portugal’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is set to become the second-oldest player in the tournament at 41 years old, behind Scotland’s Craig Gordon, who’s 43.
The Portuguese captain is international soccer’s all-time leading goalscorer. He is also the first player in history to score at five different FIFA World Cups and will be looking to add to his tally of eight World Cup goals in 2026.
Like Messi, Ronaldo is making his sixth World Cup appearance. While he now plays in the Saudi Pro League, CR7 is no longer the explosive athlete who dominated Europe for much of his career.
There has been debate over whether Portugal’s future is better served without its captain, but Ronaldo is still expected to lead the line as the team’s starting forward.
Ronaldo and Portugal 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K Schedule
- Match 1: vs. DR Congo
FOX, Telemundo | 1:00 p.m. ET (Wednesday, June 17) - Match 2: vs. Uzbekistan
FOX, Telemundo | 1:00 p.m. ET (Tuesday, June 23) - Match 3: vs. Colombia
FOX, Telemundo | 7:30 p.m. ET (Saturday, June 27)
How Messi and Ronaldo Could Face Each Other at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Despite featuring in five FIFA World Cups since 2006, Messi and Ronaldo have never faced each other in a FIFA World Cup game. The two legends have faced each other only in international friendly matches. Argentina won 2-1 in Geneva in 2011, while Portugal claimed a 1-0 victory in Manchester in 2014.
However, the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States could be different. Although Argentina and Portugal are drawn into different groups, a meeting between Messi and Ronaldo remains possible in the knockout rounds.
Based on the 2026 World Cup bracket, the most direct path to a Messi-Ronaldo or Argentina-Portugal meeting would come in the quarterfinals.
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If Argentina wins Group J and Portugal tops Group K (both are currently favorites to do so), the earliest Messi and Ronaldo could meet would be in the quarterfinals. Both nations would first need to win their Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches before setting up a potential July 11 quarterfinal showdown.
However, assuming Portugal were to finish second in Group K (perhaps behind a strong Colombia side), the bracket would pit Ronaldo and company against Argentina’s projected path. In that scenario, Messi and Ronaldo could meet only in the World Cup Final on July 19 at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., better known to NFL fans as MetLife Stadium.
