UEFA and CONMENBOL have made official the match between the Euro and the Copa America winners that has been in the works for some time. Italy and Argentina will square off in London on June 1st. It will be called Finalissima.
The stadium is not final but will likely be Wembley, where Italy topped England on PKs on July 11th. Argentina bested Brazil one-nil a few days later. The new game is part of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the two international federations. It comprises a shared office in the same city that will open at the start of 2022.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin commented: “We are delighted to build upon our excellent relationship with CONMEBOL. There is a long tradition of cooperation. We are very much looking forward to exploring the new opportunities together. We are eagerly waiting for the Finalissima in London in June 2022.”
CONMEBOL chief Alejandro Dominguez had some remarks along the same line: “We are pleased with the fruits we are reaping together with UEFA. We are laying the foundation for this fluent cooperation to grow and develop further. The final between Argentina and Italy will be joined by other top-level events, as befits the tradition of South American and European football.”
The two federations are working in unison to stop FIFA’s proposition of a biennial World Cup. Italy and Argentina have not faced each other since 2018. The contest will be one further occasion to honor the memory of the late great Diego Armando Maradona.