Football fans in India will have to wake up early to watch Lionel Messi’s final match for Argentina.

Argentina will face Benin in an international friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, October 6 local time. Because of the time difference, the match will be played in India in the early hours of Wednesday, October 7.

The match has been described as Messi's “Last Tango”, marking the conclusion of his extraordinary 21-year international career.

The biggest question for Indian fans is straightforward: Where can you watch Messi's final Argentina match?

According to the latest information, Argentina vs Benin will be available for live streaming on ZEE5 in India.

However, there is an important catch.

There will be no live TV telecast of Argentina vs Benin on Indian television. Fans who want to watch Messi's farewell live will therefore need to use the online streaming option rather than looking for the match on a traditional sports TV channel.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 4:30 AM IST on October 7.

For fans planning to watch the entire farewell, it would be sensible to open ZEE5 a few minutes before kick-off and check the live-event listing.

The unusual timing is because the match is being played in Buenos Aires on October 6, with the Indian broadcast date falling on October 7.

Messi announced his retirement from international football on August 31, 2026, bringing an end to one of the greatest international careers in football history.

The Argentina captain leaves the national team as its record appearance-maker and all-time leading goalscorer, with 207 appearances and 125 goals. He also has 68 international assists.

His Argentina career includes some of football's biggest achievements:

Messi's relationship with Argentina was not always easy. After years of criticism and painful defeats in major finals, he eventually became the captain who delivered the country's first World Cup since 1986.

Although the spotlight will overwhelmingly be on Messi, the Argentina vs Benin friendly could mark the end of an era for several players.

Veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi is also expected to retire from international football, while Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso could potentially make their final Argentina appearances.

Members of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad and their families are also expected to attend the special occasion, adding to the significance of the farewell.

If you want to watch Lionel Messi's last match for Argentina, the key details are simple:

Argentina vs Benin — 4:30 AM IST, Wednesday, October 7 — Live on ZEE5.

There is no scheduled live TV telecast in India, so online streaming will be the primary way for Indian viewers to witness Messi's final appearance in the Argentina shirt.

For millions of Indian football fans who grew up watching Messi's Argentina, it could be a rare early morning worth staying awake for.