The friendly match between Argentina and Burkina Faso in the early hours of Sunday (October 4) is hanging by a thread, following serious travel disruptions that left the visiting team stranded in Morocco.
The African team was stranded at Casablanca International Airport for several hours, after the original flight they had booked for September 30 was suddenly canceled without warning. Although an emergency departure was eventually arranged late Friday night (October 2), an exhausting transatlantic journey leaves virtually no time before the start of the race in Buenos Aires.
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According to an exclusive report by journalist Romain Molina, several Burkina Faso players refused to board the emergency flight amid unresolved internal disputes, forcing the country’s federation to add a fewplayers from the U-23 team to the squad.
“The Burkina Faso national team will depart tonight for Argentina on a private flight to play tomorrow. However, some players have left the training camp and will not make the trip due to organizational issues and certain financial concerns,” he wrote in a post on his personal “X” account.
The Football Federation of the African country (FBF), for its part, also issued an official statement confirming the logistical setback that has caused significant hesitation within the team.
“The Burkina Faso Football Federation wishes to inform the national public, the fans of the ‘Etalons’ and its partners about the situation currently facing the Burkina Faso delegation in Morocco, as part of its trip to Buenos Aires for the international friendly match between Argentina and Burkina Faso, scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 00:00 GMT.”
“The men’s national team’s trip was interrupted after the charter company canceled, without prior notice, the flight that had originally been scheduled for September 30. This cancellation forced the delegation to reorganize its travel itinerary,” the FBF stated.
Referring to their joint efforts with government authorities to resolve the crisis, the federation added: “Since the incident occurred, the Ministry of Sports, the Federation, and the Embassy have been working to find, as soon as possible, a solution that would allow the delegation to continue its journey to Buenos Aires. Several options for postponing the departure have been explored, but certain constraints—particularly those related to travel time—have caused reluctance among the players.”
The organizers are still trying to save the match. If it is ultimately canceled, Argentina will turn to Wednesday’s friendly (October 7) against Benin, which has been designated as Lionel Messi’s official farewell match with the “Albiceleste.”
*photo source: AP
