Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (front) falls to the field after coming into contact with Real Salt Lake midfielder Pablo Ruiz during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Feb 21, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (PHOTO / AP)

Argentina will play two matches in the United States next month after Chinese sporting authorities canceled friendlies featuring the World Cup champions amid a backlash against Lionel Messi's failure to play in an Inter Miami match in Hong Kong.

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Argentina's FA said on Thursday Lionel Scaloni's side will face El Salvador at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on March 22 before taking on Nigeria at the Coliseum in Los Angeles on March 26.

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Argentina were scheduled to play Nigeria in the Chinese city of Hangzhou before facing the Ivory Coast in Beijing but Messi's failure to take the field for Inter Miami in Hong Kong against a local League XI earlier this month caused widespread anger among fans.

Inter Miami's Lionel Messi (sixth from left) looks on from the bench during the friendly football match between Hong Kong Team and US Inter Miami CF at the Hong Kong Stadium in Hong Kong, Feb 4, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

Messi was deemed unfit to play in the friendly, which drew 40,000 fans and saw some spectators paying up to nearly HK$5,000 ($640) for a ticket.

Chinese media and fans reacted angrily three days later when the 36-year-old Argentine forward came off the bench to play in a friendly match in Tokyo against Vissel Kobe.

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In a video posted on Weibo, one of China's largest social media platforms, on Monday, eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi said his absence from the match had been caused by an inflamed adductor.