Leones FC, Messi family's club, will play in Primera C starting in 2026

The Argentine lower divisions are adding a new protagonist with an illustrious surname. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has confirmed the direct affiliation of Leones FC, the club founded by the family of Lionel Messi, which will compete in Primera C starting next season.

The news was made official in Bulletin No. 6752 from the governing body of national football, which states that the team from Alvear, a town located 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) from Rosario, is being incorporated directly into the tournament system, without having to go through the Amateur Promotional Tournament, the first step of the lower divisions. This leap has sparked controversy on social media over possible preferential treatment for the team, since an entire division is being skipped without any clear justification.

The club was founded in 2015 and is presided over by Matías Messi, the older brother of the captain of the Argentina National Team. Currently, Leones FC competes in the second tier of the Rosario league, where it is leading in the Zona Permanencia, although it is already planning the move to professionalism.

To face this challenge, the management has hired Víctor "Chapa" Zapata as coach, a former player for River, Vélez, and Independiente, among others, and who recently coached Atlas. The head coach is working with the Messis to build a competitive squad with the goal of adapting as quickly as possible to the demands of the division.

With this addition, Rosario will have three representatives in Primera C: Central Córdoba, Argentino, and Leones FC. A new chapter is beginning for a family project that, from its foundations, carries the imprint of the most iconic surname in Argentine football.