Messi’s Kerala visit: Hiccups and hurdles as conflicting reports cloud Argentina’s November friendly

The arrival of Lionel Messi and the Argentina football team in Kerala for an international friendly in November is once again under a cloud due to conflicting reports in the media. Messi’s Argentina is scheduled to play a friendly against Australia on 17 November in Kochi.

However, a report in Spanish media outlet La Nación states that Argentina’s football team’s trip to India in November 2025 has been cancelled after the hosts failed to meet the requirements.

“We did everything possible to make it happen in November; a delegation even travelled to India to inspect the field, hotels, and other arrangements, but India could not meet the requirements,” an Argentina Football Association (AFA) official told La Nación.

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Messi’s Kerala trip cancelled after poor arrangements?

The report added that efforts are being made to reschedule the match for March 2026.

AFA representative Hector Daniel Cabrera had visited the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor, Kochi, to assess the preparation. Reportedly, Rs 70 crore is being spent on renovating the stadium, but AFA is not happy with the arrangements.

Amid the unfortunate news, the sponsor of the match, Reporter Broadcasting Company, has confirmed the match will take place in Kochi as planned.

“Argentina will reach Kochi on November 15, while the Australians will land on November 10. The Australian team will also be accompanied by a delegation of the Australian government,” Anto Augustine, the managing director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, told The Hindu.

“We are finalising the television rights and a prominent Indian sports channel will broadcast the match,” he added.

Anto added that Messi will also be playing for Argentina in Kochi. “I have seen the report that the Argentina match would be played in Africa, and not in India,” he said. “And of course, Messi would be playing. It is the World Cup-winning squad of Argentina that is coming to India.”

However, none of this has been confirmed by AFA or Australia’s football federation.

Messi’s Kerala trip faces multiple hiccups

This is not the first time Messi’s visit to Kerala has come into question. The news of Messi coming to India in November 2025 was revealed last year, some 13 months ago.

However, after the sponsor reportedly failed to clear the payment in May 2025, the trip was expected to be cancelled, only for organisers to make a U-turn and confirm in June 2025 that the full payment had been made to AFA and Messi would be in Kochi in November 2025.

For the unversed, Messi will also be travelling to India in the last month of the year for his GOAT Tour, which will take place in Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and New Delhi from 13 to 15 December.