Uruguay and Argentina have confirmed a friendly for the November FIFA window. The Río de la Plata derby will be played on Friday, November 13 at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) was the first to announce the fixture. "Confirmed: Uruguay and Argentina will play in the November FIFA date," the body said. Hours later, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) ratified the match, though it clarified that "the venue is still not defined." Negotiations for the location, however, are well advanced and everything points to it being at the legendary Boca Juniors stadium.
Forlán's debut
The match will have special significance as the official debut of Diego Forlán as Uruguay's head coach. The historic striker, who took over in August, will manage for the first time in a derby he knows well from his playing days. La Celeste arrives in good form, with two consecutive wins in their latest friendlies: a 6-1 victory over India and a 4-1 win against South Korea. Darwin Núñez, with three goals across those two games, and Maximiliano Araujo, who scored a brace against India, are in fine scoring form.
This will be the 197th meeting between the two national teams. The rivalry dates back to July 20, 1902. The last match on Argentine soil was a 2-2 draw in La Plata in 2003, while the most recent friendly ended with the same scoreline in Tel Aviv in 2019. In their last visit to La Bombonera, in November 2023, Uruguay won 2-0 in World Cup qualifying.
The second fixture and the squad
The AUF is also arranging a second friendly match for the same FIFA window, which runs from November 9 to 17. This second fixture would be played in Uruguay against an opponent yet to be determined. Argentina, for its part, already has a confirmed match against Costa Rica on November 17, ruling out an immediate rematch with Uruguay.
Forlán's player list for these fixtures must be submitted to FIFA before October 23. The AUF will make the official announcement to fans in the days leading up to the start of the training camp. Supporters will be able to watch the match via AUFTV. With the team showing an effective and attacking style, as demonstrated in the rout of India where six different players scored, expectations are high for the start of the new cycle. The match against Argentina will be the first major test for Forlán's project, before Uruguay resumes its journey in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
First reported at la diaria
