Lionel Messi and Argentina start their World Cup campaign against Riyad Mahrez's Algeria in Kansas.
Argentina vs Algeria Match Summary
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Competition |
World Cup 2026 |
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Match Date |
Wednesday 17 June 2026 |
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Match Time |
02:00 BST |
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Venue (City, Stadium) |
Kansas City, Kansas City Stadium |
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Broadcast (TV / Streaming / Radio / Bookmaker Streaming) |
ITV 1, RTE 2 |
Reigning world champions Argentina open their 2026 World Cup campaign against Algeria in a Group J clash at Kansas City Stadium on Wednesday morning.
Argentina arrive on a seven-match winning streak, having conceded just once during that run, and carry the weight of a nation expecting a successful title defence.
Algeria return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2014, having sailed through CAF qualification with 25 points from ten outings.
These two sides have met just once before at senior level, a thrilling 4-3 Argentina victory in a 2007 friendly, making this a rare and intriguing fixture.
Argentina vs Algeria Form
Argentina have won six of their last ten matches across all competitions, with Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez leading the line. Their 4-1 demolition of Brazil and a 6-0 hammering of Bolivia underline just how devastating this side can be when firing.
Algeria have been in outstanding form, winning eight of their last ten fixtures and keeping four consecutive clean sheets heading into the tournament. Mohammed Amoura and Riyad Mahrez have been their chief attacking threats during a dominant qualification campaign.
Argentina vs Algeria Lineups & Team News
Injuries & Suspensions
Argentina: N. Tagliafico (Injured/out)
Algeria: R. Bensebaini (Injured/out)
Argentina
Emi Martinez, Nico Gonzalez and Leandro Paredes are all expected to have overcome recent injury problems to be fit enough for this fixture. Argentina will be without Nicolas Tagliafico, however, after he picked up a calf strain against Honduras, with Facundo Medina likely to deputise at left-back.
Algeria
Algeria are set to be missing Ramy Bensebaini as he struggles with an ankle injury. The rest of the squad appears fully fit, with Ibrahim Maza and Anis Hadj Moussa expected to provide creative spark in behind lone striker Amine Gouiri.
Kwiff
Argentina vs Algeria Predicted Lineup
Argentina
Formation: 4-3-1-2
Predicted Starting Lineup: E. Martínez; N. Molina, N. Otamendi, L. Martínez, F. Medina; R. D. Paul, E. Fernández, A. M. Allister; T. Almada; L. Messi, L. Martínez
Algeria
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Predicted Starting Lineup: L. Zidane; R. Belghali, A. Mandi, S. Chergui, R. Aït-Nouri; N. Bentaleb, H. Boudaoui; R. Mahrez, I. Maza, M. Amoura; A. Gouiri
Argentina vs Algeria Key Stats & Match Facts
- Argentina have won six of their last ten matches across all competitions, with a 60% win rate in recent outings.
- Algeria won eight of their last ten fixtures and lost just once during CAF World Cup qualification.
- The only previous senior meeting between these sides ended in a dramatic 4-3 Argentina victory in a 2007 friendly.
- Algeria have kept four consecutive clean sheets heading into the tournament, conceding just eight goals throughout qualification.
- Argentina are projected to average over 14 shots per match in this fixture, with Messi and Martinez expected to combine for over 1.4 goals between them.
Argentina vs Algeria Prediction & Best Bets
Our prediction: Argentina 2-0 Algeria. The defending champions have the firepower and quality to break down a stubborn Algeria side, but the Desert Foxes' strong defensive record in 2026 suggests this will not be a goal-fest. With a BTTS percentage of just 15.73% and Argentina projected to score 2.4 goals to Algeria's 0.19, a clean sheet for the home side looks likely.
Best Bets
Over 1.5 Goals at 1/3 with Betfred. Argentina's attacking depth makes this fixture ripe for multiple goals. They have scored two or more in the majority of their recent outings, and their hit rate of 73% across similar fixtures backs this up strongly.
BTTS No at 4/6 with AK Bets. Algeria's four consecutive clean sheets demonstrate their defensive resilience, but Argentina's class should prove too much. Algeria are projected to score fewer than 0.2 goals in this fixture, making a clean sheet for the hosts a strong play.
Argentina vs Algeria Bet Builder
Our three-leg bet builder combines Both Teams To Score - No, Lionel Messi Over 0.5 Assists, and Amine Gouiri Over 1.5 Shots, offering a blend of match outcome and player prop markets.
Both Teams To Score - No appeals given Argentina's defensive strength and their ability to control matches against lesser opposition. The world champions have regularly restricted opponents to few chances and will be confident of keeping things tight at the back.
Lionel Messi Over 0.5 Assists is backed by the Inter Miami star's enduring creative influence. Even at this stage of his career, Messi remains Argentina's chief playmaker and continues to create chances at an elite rate. With runners such as Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez around him, one assist is well within reach.
Amine Gouiri Over 1.5 Shots looks a strong selection given his role as Algeria's focal point in attack. The forward is rarely shy about pulling the trigger and should see enough involvement in and around the penalty area to register multiple efforts on goal.
Combined, these three selections bring together Argentina's defensive solidity, Messi's creativity and Gouiri's attacking intent into an appealing World Cup bet builder.
At the time of writing, this bet builder pays a best price of 12/1 and is as short as 6/1 elsewhere. That's a difference in potential winnings of £60 from best to worst price for a £10 bet.
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Bet builder odds correct at time of publishing.
