The much-anticipated visit of Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to Kerala in 2025 appears increasingly uncertain. Reports from Argentine media suggest the team will instead play friendly matches in China in October and in Angola and Qatar in November. With these developments, hopes of Kerala's football fans catching a glimpse of the World Cup-winning icon in their state have taken a serious hit.
The itinerary, reportedly released by the Argentina Football Association (AFA), makes no mention of a stop in India, let alone Kerala. This stands in sharp contrast to the announcement made by Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman in November 2024, when he declared that the Messi-led Argentina team would play two exhibition matches – against Japan and Qatar – in Kerala in 2025.
However, Minister Abdurahiman has maintained that not all is lost. Speaking to the media on Saturday, May 17, he asserted that the visit is still on. “As we expect, and as the sponsors have assured, the Argentina team will play a match in Kerala in October. There is no confusion about that as of now,” he said.
Responding to reports that the AFA had cancelled its planned visit due to contractual issues, the Minister clarified that even though there was a delay in payment, the situation has been rectified. “The sponsors had to get a clearance from the Reserve Bank of India to remit the amount. That clearance has now been received and the remittance will be made next week,” Abdurahiman said.
He further confirmed that he had contacted AFA officials, who reassured him that the agreement remains valid as long as the sponsors fulfill their financial commitments. “There is no issue if the amount is paid as per the agreement,” he added.
The Minister also stated that there is no confusion over the venue, with both the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi and the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram under consideration for hosting the matches. Since the proposed visit is for exhibition matches and not official FIFA fixtures, venue finalisation depends primarily on logistical readiness and contractual clarity.
Kerala’s love for Latin American football, especially for Argentina and Brazil, is well documented. Enthusiasm reached a fever pitch after the Sports Minister’s initial announcement. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had even taken to social media to hail the visit, stating that "Kerala is set to make history" with the arrival of the FIFA World Cup champions.
Initially, the Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants’ Association had taken up the sponsorship mantle but had to back out after facing procedural delays, including RBI clearance issues. Subsequently, Reporter Broadcasting Company, based in Kochi, stepped in as the new sponsor.
Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, said that all contractual obligations mandated by the AFA have now been met. “We expect an official announcement on the match dates soon,” he said.