Lionel Messi's Argentina will play exhibition match at Soldier Field

NEW YORK — Lionel Messi’s Argentina will play exhibitions against Ecuador on June 9 at Soldier Field and Guatemala five days later at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, ahead of the defending its Copa America title.

The games were announced Monday by the Argentine Football Association and Soccer United Marketing.

Argentina last week scheduled friendlies against El Salvador on March 22 at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Field and against Nigeria four days later at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Those replaced a China tour canceled after Messi didn’t play at Inter Miami’s preseason game in Hong Kong.

Argentina, the defending world and South American champion, opens the Copa America against Canada or Trinidad and Tobago on June 20 at Atlanta, then plays Chile five days later at East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Peru on June 29 at Miami Gardens, Florida.