Is Messi coming to New Jersey? See when the global soccer star will delight futbol fans

Juan Carlos Castillo, Asbury Park Press

For the second time, the United States will be the host country of the 48th edition of the Copa America.

The national soccer teams of 16 countries from the Americas will compete for a chance to win the Continental Cup. Matches will run from June 20 through July 14 in 14 different cities across the U.S., including East Rutherford, NJ, where three games will be played at the MetLife Stadium.

The respective national teams from the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Jamaica, Panama, Bolivia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Uruguay already qualified and are set to play for the cup.

And of course, the reigning Copa America and World Cup champion Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will also compete for the coveted championship.

So, does that mean Messi is coming to New Jersey?

When is Lionel Messi playing in New Jersey?

Three games are scheduled to be played at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford: two group-stage matches and one of the semi-final matches.

If Argentina makes it to the semi-finals, there is a 50 percent chance that Messi will play at the MetLife Stadium for a second time.
If Argentina makes it to the semi-finals, there is a 50 percent chance that Messi will play at the MetLife Stadium for a second time.

Argentina is scheduled to play in New Jersey on Tuesday, June 25 in a group stage match, announced CONMEBOL, the organization that manages the Copa America.

The contender country for this match hasn’t been announced yet, but as per FIFA-ranking-based standards, that country is going to be either Chile, Panama, Paraguay or Venezuela.

The MetLife Stadium will host a crowd of 82,500 aficionados, the largest live audience of all the games of the 2024 Copa America.

More: New Jersey is the most interested state in Lionel Messi, study says

How many games is Messi playing in New Jersey?

The former FC Barcelona forward and current player at Inter Miami will delight the New Jersey crowd in the June 25 group stage match and possibly in the July 9 semi-final match.

If Argentina makes it to the semi-finals, there is a 50 percent chance that Messi will play at the MetLife Stadium for the second time.

While one of the semi-final matches is set to take place in New Jersey, the second semi-final game is scheduled to take place at the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina.

It is uncertain which of the teams that qualify for the semi-finals will play in which of the two semi-final matches.

As of Dec. 6, only 8 tickets remain unsold for the June 25 game, and the starting price is $588.

For the July 9 semi-final match, there are only 6 tickets left, and the starting price stands at $240.

COPA 2024: Dates Messi will play

The group stage schedule has been announced, and the top four teams — ranked by FIFA — are already assigned to specific matches. Here's when and where Argentina will play during the group stage games.

  • Opening game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on June 20.

  • Group stage game at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on June 25.

  • Group stage game at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on June 29.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Copa 2024: When is Messi playing in NJ?

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