The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has accused the Kerala government of breaching the agreement for the proposed visit of Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to the state.
Leandro Petersen, the AFA’s Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, made the claim while responding to a sports journalist who inquired about the reported cancellation of the tour, despite a payment of nearly Rs 130 crore.
After more than two years of planning and excitement, Kerala’s grand plan to bring the Argentina national football team to the state has fallen apart. What began in December 2022 – the year Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup in Qatar, had fans hoping to see their heroes in action. But in 2025, the dream has ended without a single kick, according to several media reports.
On August 4, Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman confirmed that the Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA) team, led by Messi, would not visit the state. For thousands of football fans, it was the final whistle on a much-hyped match that never began. The bigger question now lingers, did the state lose more than just a dream in this ambitious plan?
The invitation that sparked hope
Just four days after Argentina’s FIFA World Cup win on December 18, 2022, Kerala turned its football passion into an official invitation. Sports Minister Abdurahiman wrote to Claudio Tapia, President of the AFA, congratulating the team and acknowledging a social media post by AFA thanking Kerala for its support.
“Football is a game which transcends all barriers and unites people globally,” he wrote. “Every nook and corner of the state was decorated with photos of Argentine players and flags during the tournament. Your presence here would be a matter of pride and inspiration for our football lovers,” the minister added.
In January 2024, Abdurahiman announced that AFA had officially accepted Kerala’s invitation after a virtual meeting. Argentina even showed interest in collaborating on training programmes, including Kerala’s plan to train 5,000 children, and playing two friendly matches in the state.
A June 2024 match was ruled out because of the monsoon, but the team agreed in principle to play in Kerala in October 2025, a potential historic event for Indian football.
Kerala delegation heads to Madrid
In September 2024, a Kerala team, led by the Sports Minister, visited Madrid at AFA’s invitation. The discussions covered organising international friendlies in Kerala, setting up AFA-backed football academies, and improving sports facilities to global standards.
Meetings were also held with Spain’s Higher Sports Council to explore High Performance Centers and exchange ideas on training, sports-related skills, and job creation. Talks also touched upon Kerala’s plans for a new Sports Institute at Calicut University.
By November 2024, Abdurahiman confirmed that the Argentina national team, including Messi, would come to Kerala in 2025 for an international match under the state government’s supervision. He said local traders would fund the event, which would likely take place in Kochi at a stadium with a minimum capacity of 50,000.
The final date, he noted, would be set by AFA, with a joint announcement expected within six weeks.
A costly commitment
The Reporter Broadcasting Company, Kerala’s commercial partner for the event, revealed that it had already paid Rs 130 crore to the AFA on June 6, 2024, based on a contract signed in December 2024. The reporter warned it might take legal action if Argentina failed to play in October or November 2025.
On Monday, in Kozhikode, Sports Minister Abdurahiman said the Argentina team would not visit Kerala this year due to scheduling difficulties in October. The announcement ended months of anticipation and left fans wondering if the much-awaited match will ever happen.
Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman, who had earlier announced that Argentina would play in the state this October, told the media in Kozhikode on Monday that the team would not be visiting Kerala this year. He said the players faced difficulties in scheduling a visit in October.