Football's greatest rivalry could finally reach its ultimate stage. Lionel Messi's Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal are on a collision course at the 2026 World Cup, with the bracket setting up a potential quarter-final meeting at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Saturday 11th July.

If both nations win their groups, which they're heavily favoured to do, they'll meet in Match 100 of the tournament. It would be the first time Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other in a competitive international match, and almost certainly the last chance for either to claim victory over the other on the world's biggest stage.

For fans searching for Messi Ronaldo World Cup tickets, Match 100 represents the best opportunity. Tickets for this potential clash are already available on the resale market, starting from £720 — though prices are expected to surge if both teams progress as expected.

How Messi and Ronaldo Can Meet in the World Cup Quarter-Finals

The 2026 World Cup bracket is designed so that group winners from Groups J and K end up on the same side of the draw. Here's exactly how Argentina and Portugal would reach that Kansas City quarter-final:

Argentina's Path (Group J)

Argentina are the reigning World Cup champions and overwhelming favourites to top Group J. Their group stage fixtures:

Match	Date & Venue	Ticket Starting Price
Argentina vs Algeria	16th June, Kansas City	£353
Argentina vs Austria	22nd June, Dallas	£469
Argentina vs Jordan	27th June, Dallas	£390

If Argentina finish first in Group J, they'll face the runners-up from Group H in the Round of 32 in Miami. A win there sets up a Round of 16 match in Atlanta, before the quarter-final in Kansas City.

Portugal's Path (Group K)

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal are expected to cruise through Group K, with Colombia their only serious threat. Their fixtures:

Match	Date & Venue	Ticket Starting Price
Portugal vs TBA (Play-off winner)	17th June, Houston	£318
Portugal vs Uzbekistan	23rd June, Houston	£263
Portugal vs Colombia	27th June, Miami	£834

Portugal topping their group would see them play a third-place finisher in the Round of 32 in Kansas City, followed by a Round of 16 match in Vancouver.

Win both, and they're in Kansas City for the quarter-final against the Group J winner.

Ticket Prices: What You'll Pay to See History

The quarter-final match (Match 100) at Arrowhead Stadium currently has 4,867 tickets available on the resale market. Here's the pricing breakdown:

Price Tier	Price (GBP)
Cheapest Available	£720
Average Price	£2,649
Premium / VIP from	£1,345

How Does This Compare to Other Knockout Matches?

The market still hasn't fully priced in the Messi vs Ronaldo narrative. Compare these starting prices across the knockout rounds:

Round	Venue	From
Quarter-Final (Match 100)	Kansas City	£720
Quarter-Final (Match 97)	Los Angeles	£721
Quarter-Final (Match 98)	Dallas	£675
Quarter-Final (Match 99)	Philadelphia	£852
Semi-Finals	Dallas / Atlanta	£1,021+
World Cup Final	New Jersey	£4,346

The Kansas City quarter-final is currently priced almost identically to other quarter-finals but if Argentina and Portugal both progress, expect these prices to climb significantly.

For context, Portugal vs Colombia in the group stage already starts at £834, which is more expensive than the quarter-final's current starting price.

Why This Match Would Be Historic

Messi and Ronaldo have defined football for nearly two decades, but they've never faced each other in a competitive international match. Their only international meetings came in friendlies back in 2011 and 2014.

Both players will be massive storylines at the 2026 World Cup:

• Lionel Messi will be 39 years old and competing in his sixth World Cup - the Argentine maestro will be aiming for a third final, and second victory on the biggest stage.
• Cristiano Ronaldo will be 41 and also appearing in his sixth World Cup, with over 130 international goals to his name.

For Messi, it's a chance to defend the trophy he finally won in Qatar 2022. For Ronaldo, it represents perhaps his final opportunity to win the one major honour that has eluded him throughout his career.

A quarter-final meeting would give us what we've always wanted: Messi vs Ronaldo, winner takes all, on the biggest stage in football.

When to Buy: Our Ticket Strategy Advice

Based on current pricing and historical World Cup trends, here's what we'd recommend:

Buy now if: You're certain you want to attend regardless of which teams qualify. Current prices around £720-£800 represent good value for a World Cup quarter-final at a 76,000-seat NFL stadium.

Wait if: You want to see if Argentina or Portugal slip up in the group stage. However, be warned if both teams win their groups and the Messi vs Ronaldo narrative takes hold, prices could double or triple by early July.

The sweet spot: Consider buying after both teams' second group matches (around 23rd June). By then, you'll have a clearer picture of whether both are on track to top their groups, but prices won't have peaked yet.

Other Ways Messi and Ronaldo Could Meet

The quarter-final isn't the only possibility. Here are the alternative scenarios:

Round of 16 Meeting (If Both Finish Second)

If Argentina and Portugal both finish as runners-up in their groups, they could meet as early as the Round of 16 on 6th July in Dallas. This would require upsets, Austria topping Group J or Colombia topping Group K.

World Cup Final

If one team wins their group and the other finishes second, they'd be placed in opposite brackets and kept apart until the final in New Jersey on 19th July. Final tickets currently start from £4,346.

Third-Place Play-Off

Neither set of fans wants to think about this, but the third-place match in Miami on 18th July (from £560) is technically possible if both teams reach the semi-finals but lose.

Arrowhead Stadium: The Venue

The potential Messi vs Ronaldo quarter-final would take place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, home of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.

With a capacity of approximately 76,416, it's one of the loudest stadiums in American sports.

Kansas City is hosting six World Cup matches in total. The city will already be in World Cup fever by the time the quarter-final arrives, with Argentina having played their opening match there three weeks earlier.

The Bottom Line

A Messi vs Ronaldo World Cup quarter-final isn't guaranteed but the bracket has set it up perfectly. If both legends guide their nations through the group stage as expected, Kansas City on 11th July 2026 will host the most anticipated match in World Cup history outside of a final.

Tickets are available now from £720, but don't expect that price to last. Once the tournament begins and both teams start winning, demand will surge.

This could be your only chance to see football's two greatest players face each other in a match that actually matters. The 2026 World Cup might just give us the ending to this rivalry that we've always wanted.

All ticket data correct as of 13th January 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

When could Messi and Ronaldo play each other at the World Cup?

If both Argentina and Portugal win their groups, they would meet in the quarter-finals on 11th July 2026 in Kansas City.

How much are tickets for Messi vs Ronaldo?

Tickets for Match 100 (the potential quarter-final) start from £720, with an average price of £2,649.