Lionel Messi and the Argentian national football team’s scheduled visit to Kerala has been officially cancelled. Kerala’s Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman confirmed that due to scheduling issues from the team’s side, they will not be visiting the state this year as earlier announced.
According to the minister, Argentina’s representatives informed the state government that they are unable to travel to Kerala in October. However, the Indian sponsors had clearly mentioned that October was the only possible time frame for the event. This difference has led to the cancellation of the visit.
The Reporter Broadcasting Company, which signed a deal with the Argentina Football Association(AFA) to bring the team to Kerala, claims to have already paid the full contract amount of 130 crores in June 2025. The agreement, signed in December 2024, stated that the team would play a match in Kerala in October or November 2025.
Anto Augustine, Managing Director of the Reporter Broadcasting Company, said that five days after making the payment, they received an email from AFA asking if they would agree to shift the match to September 2026. Augustine rejected the proposal, stating it violates the original terms. The company is now considering taking legal action due to potential financial losses.
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Meanwhile, reports suggest that Lionel Messi may still visit India in December this year, but not as part of a match in Kerala. Instead, he is expected to conduct Football workshops in Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata. There are also reports that he will attend a cricket match at Wankhede Stadium and possibly be felicitated by Sourav Ganguly at Eden Gardens on December 13. This would be Messi’s second visit to India. He previously played in a friendly match against Venezuala in Kolkata in 2011. Football fans in India had been eagerly waiting to see him play once again on Indian soil, but with this cancellation, the chance to witness Messi in action in Kerala is now officially off the table. As of now, there has been no official statement from the Argentina Football Association regarding the cancellation or future plans
