Argentina’s national football team will no longer be travelling to Kerala in November to play the friendly match. This means that Lionel Messi will also not be coming for the match and the sponsors have confirmed that news after Argentine Football Association stated that the team will only be playing in Angola next month.
The development comes as a big disappointment for the fans who were eagerly waiting to watch Messi play. The Argentine media reports suggests that the AFA officials have cited Kerala’s “lack of readiness” and delays in completing logistical arrangements within the agreed timeline – these are the primary reason behind cancelling the visit.
The match was initially scheduled to take place in Kochi on November 17 but now since it stands canceled, a huge debate has ignited. With political leaders blaming each other and highlights the challenges are involved in organising such huge high-profile events. The organisers have suggested that it can be rescheduled in March 2026 but the timing is coinciding with Kerala assembly polls which are scheduled in April or May.
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Messi will still be visiting India for the GOAT India Tour and he will travel to four cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. The dates of his tour are from December 13 to 15 and it will feature exhibition games, feature concerts, and celebrity meet and greets. Messi also shared the news on his Instagram and called India a “very special country.” Before this, Messi visited India in 2011 and he played a friendly match in Kolkata. The GOAT tour will be extremely special as fans will be excited to watch the superstar.
