Lionel Messi’s tour with Argentina to India has been cancelled.
Lionel Messi’s highly anticipated tour of Kerala, India, has been officially canceled after organizers failed to raise 100 crore rupees (about $12 million), according to New Indian Express.
Earlier, Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman had announced that Messi would play two friendly matches in the state in 2025, with at least one scheduled to be held in Kochi city.
The rights to host and sponsor the event were initially given to a unit of the All Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants Association (AKGSMA). They planned to raise 100 crore rupees through the “Oloppo” app, but failed to complete the deal on time, resulting in the deal being scrapped. It is understood that around 70% of the amount was an appearance fee for the Argentina national team, who are currently looking for an alternative venue.
In an interview with the New Indian Express, the Sports Minister declined to comment, simply saying: “The sponsors will answer the relevant questions.”
Given the current situation, Messi will not be coming to India this year. According to Argentine journalist Gaston Edul, La Albiceleste had planned to play two matches in China, along with one in Qatar and another in Angola in 2025.
Although no official announcement has been made, Argentina’s international fixtures for the FIFA Days in October and November are almost finalized. The last time Messi played in India was in 2011, when he played a friendly with Argentina against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
In addition, the report also said that the Kerala state government has transferred the sponsorship rights of the event to Reporter Broadcasting Company Pvt Ltd. It is worth noting that HSBC India had confirmed this event in March after reaching a cooperation agreement with the Argentina national team, but the bank has also remained silent on the matter.
