Lionel Messi, one of the greatest footballers of all time, is a name that instantly resonates with almost every football fan on the planet. While supporters in Europe and the Americas have had plenty of chances to watch the Argentine maestro live, fans in Asia, especially India, have been waiting for their turn.
Lionel Messi’s Kerala Visit Called Off
That moment seemed close when plans were announced for Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team to play in Kerala this October. Many fans had already started making arrangements to witness history at Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield Stadium. But on Monday, a wave of disappointment hit when Kerala’s Sports Minister V Abdurahiman revealed that Lionel Messi and his team will no longer be visiting the state this year.
For millions of Indian football lovers, this was crushing news. The dream of watching Messi live on home soil will have to wait.
The minister had earlier promised that the Messi-led Argentina squad would visit the state as announced by the government, even saying the sponsor had already paid the match fee for the event. On Monday, he explained that the foreign team had informed them about “facing difficulties in visiting the state in October this year,” but the sponsor replied, “we are interested only in a visit in the month of October.”
Abdurahiman had also said earlier that the team was more likely to come in October or November, and that they would be treated as state guests, with the government taking care of security, accommodation, and other arrangements.
Kerala Government’s Earlier Assurances
Now, more details have emerged. Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Reporter TV Broadcasting Corporation, confirmed at a press conference that the company paid a massive ₹130 crore to the Argentina Football Association (AFA) to bring Messi and the national team to Kerala. He stressed that this payment, made on June 6, came from personal funds, not public contributions, and that if the AFA fails to honour the deal, it would be a breach of contract that could lead to legal action.
According to Augustine, Reporter Broadcasting Corporation has an official contract for Argentina to play in Kerala in October, and the AFA has already confirmed receipt of the full payment via email. However, he said the AFA was told they do not want the team to visit Kerala after the upcoming World Cup. While there has been speculation that Lionel Messi and Argentina could come to India in December, Augustine made it clear that the contract is specifically for Kerala, and “if he does not come to the state, he will not be visiting India at all.”
At this stage, the October slot has not been officially closed by the AFA. Augustine suspects they may be trying to renegotiate after seeing Kerala’s market potential. Meanwhile, all logistical preparations for the match in Thiruvananthapuram are ready. Reporter Broadcasting will wait up to two more weeks for a clear response from the AFA, and if none comes, they will move ahead with legal proceedings.
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