West Asia crisis| Argentina vs Spain Finalissima match in Qatar called off

The match between Copa America champs and European winners was scheduled to be held at Lusail, which had hosted the final of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The UEFA has decided to cancel the Finalissima tie between Argentina and Spain which was scheduled to be held in Qatar on March 27 due to the esclating tensions in the Middle East.

The match between the reigning Copa America champions and European winners was supposed to be held at the Lusail International stadium, which had hosted the final of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.

It was meant to be a marquee match-up between the teams led by Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal before FIFA World Cup 2026 which begins on June 11

But the security of the game was put into serious doubt when Iran intensified its attacks on neighboring countries in retaliation to the aerial attacks by United States and Israel that are now in their third week.

"After much discussion between UEFA and the organising authorities in Qatar, it's announced that due to the current political situation in the region, the Finalissima between UEFA EURO 2024 winners Spain and CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 champions Argentina cannot be played as hoped in Qatar on 27 March," UEFA said in a statement posted on X.

Other venues had reportedly been considered as alternatives to Doha, including Spain's capital.

The European football's governing body, however, said all other feasible alternatives it explored "ultimately proved unacceptable to the Argentinian Football Association."

"The first option was to stage the match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on the original date with a 50:50 split of supporters in the stadium," UEFA said. "This would've provided a world-class setting, befitting of such a prestigious event, but Argentina refused."

Finalissima becomes the latest casualty in the long list of sports events either to be cancelled or rescheduled due to the ongoing crisis in Middle East.

Formula 1's races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for April have been called off due to the war, while President Donald Trump has suggested that Iran cannot participate in the FIFA World Cup that is co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

The option of staging the event over two legs - one in Madrid on March 27, the other in Buenos Aires before the Euros and Copa America in 2028 - was also rejected.

"Regrettably, UEFA said the match taking place on the 31st – only four days after their original offer – was not possible, and so the Finalissima was cancelled," the South American confederation said.

"CONMEBOL and AFA regret deeply that, despite all the efforts and the manifested interest in playing the match in a neutral ground since the first moment, it was not possible."

Argentina had clinched the inaugural edition of the Finalissima in 2022 with a 3-0 victory over Italy at Wembley Stadium in London.

(With inputs from agencies)