When is Argentina vs. Ecuador: where it is played and at what time

Argentina vs. Ecuador is one of the outstanding duels of the first day of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, where the ‘Albiceleste’ will defend their title. Find out when the game is, where it is played and at what time.

WHEN IS ARGENTINA VS ECUADOR 2023

Argentina vs Ecuador for date 1 of the Qualifiers is this Thursday, September 7, 2023. At what time? The initial whistle will be at 9:00 p.m. in Argentina (7:00 p.m. in Ecuadorian time).

WHERE IS ARGENTINA VS ECUADOR PLAYED?

The Argentina – Ecuador match will be played at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, which is located in the Núñez neighborhood, belongs to the River Plate club and was recently remodeled.

In its official debut as world champion, Argentina will face the first two games of the Qualifiers against Ecuador and Bolivia, with a squad led by star Lionel Messi and several youth players.

The list of DT Lionel Scaloni, released this Thursday to face Ecuador on September 7 in Buenos Aires and Bolivia on September 12 in La Paz, excludes Paulo Dybala (AS Roma), Marcos Acuña (Sevilla) and Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham). All three due to injuries.

New additions include left-back Lucas Esquivel (21, Athletico Paranaense), midfielder Bruno Zapelli (21, Athletico Paranaense), forwards Lucas Beltrán (22, Fiorentina) and Alan Velasco (21, FC Dallas), defender Marcos Senesi (26, Bournemouth) and goalkeeper Walter Benítez (30, PSV Eindhoven).

The list to start looking for a place in the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada includes the returns of goalkeeper Franco Armani (River Plate) and Ángel Correa (Atlético de Madrid), both world champions in Qatar-2022.

Messi, 36, will once again have the company of figures who supported him in winning the last World Cup, such as the experienced Ángel Di María (Benfica) and Rodrigo De Paul (Atlético de Madrid), and will add other high-level youngsters in this start of the season, like striker Alejandro Garnacho, a starter at Manchester United at just 19 years old.

Several youths mentioned by Scaloni are part of that Argentina Under-23 team that Javier Mascherano trains towards the tournament that grants places for the Paris-2024 Olympic Games.

The South American qualifiers grant six places for the 2026 World Cup and the one who occupies the seventh place will play a playoff with a team from another continent.

Argentine roster:

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Vila/ENG), Franco Armani (River Plate), Walter Benítez (PSV Eindhoden/NED) and Juan Musso (Atalanta/ITA).

Defenders: Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Germán Pezzella (Betis/ESP), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla/ESP), Juan Foyth (Villarreal/ESP), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth/ENG), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United/ ENG), Cristian Romero (Tottenham/ENG), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon/FRA), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica/POR), Lucas Esquivel (Athletico Paranaense/BRA).

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (AS Roma, ITA), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Guido Rodríguez (Betis/ESP), Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton/ENG), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea/ENG), Alexis Mac Allister ( Liverpool/ENG), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Alan Velazco (FC Dallas/USA), Bruno Zapelli (Athletico Paranaense/BRA) and Thiago Almada (Atlanta United/USA).

Forwards: Lucas Beltrán (Fiorentina/ITA), Nicolás González (Fiorentina/ITA), Ángel Correa (Atlético de Madrid/ESP), Julián Álvarez (Manchester City/ENG), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United/ENG), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami/USA), Ángel Di María (Benfica/POR) and Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan/ITA).

Midfielder Moisés Caicedo, the Premier League’s record signing, leads Ecuador’s squad to face the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, in which the ‘Tri’ will face world champion Argentina and Uruguay.

To face Lionel Messi’s award-winning team in Buenos Aires on September 7 and the Charrúas in Quito on September 12, the Spanish coach Félix Sánchez mixed historical figures with promising youngsters.

In the foreground will be Caicedo, who joined Chelsea this month from Brighton for some $146 million, the most expensive transfer in the English league.

In the list of 23 summoned is the scorer Enner Valencia, who at 33 years old lives a new youth after his arrival at Inter de Porto Alegre, semifinalist of the Copa Libertadores. Also the goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez (36) and the creative Ángel Mena (35). Kendry Páez, the 16-year-old Ecuadorian jewel that dazzles in Independiente del Valle, lowers the average age.

To stop Messi and then the Uruguayans led by Marcelo Bielsa, Sánchez will have Pervis Estupiñan (Brighton) and Robert Arboleda (Sao Paulo) in defense, but he will not have central defender Piero Hincapié from Bayer Leverkusen due to injury.

DT seeks to lead Ecuador to a World Cup again as his predecessor, Gustavo Alfaro, did in Qatar-2022.

Although the Argentine had an outstanding step for the tricolor, the Ecuadorians were left with a distaste for the elimination in the group stage of that World Cup.

Ecuador List:

Goalkeepers: Alexander Domínguez (Liga de Quito, ECU), Moisés Ramírez (Independiente del Valle, ECU) and Hernán Galíndez (Aucas, ECU).

Defenders: Félix Torres (Santos Laguna, MEX), José Hurtado (Bragantino, BRA), Robert Arboleda (Sao Paulo, BRA), William Pacho, (Eintracht Frankfurt, GER), Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton, ENG), Jhoanner Chávez (Independiente del Valle, ECU), Ángelo Preciado (Genk, BEL), Joel Ordóñez (Brujas, BEL) and Leonardo Realpe (Bragantino, BRA).

Midfielders: José Cifuentes (Rangers, SCO), Carlos Grueso (SJ Earthquakes, USA), Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea, ENG), Jordy Alcívar (Independiente del Valle, ECU), Joao Ortiz (Independiente del Valle, ECU), Ángel Mena ( León, MEX), Gonzálo Plata (Al-Sadd, QAT) and Kendry Páez (Independiente del Valle, ECU).

Forwards: Enner Valencia (Inter, BRA), Kevin Rodríguez (Independiente del Valle, ECU) and Jhojan Julio (Liga de Quito, ECU).