₹10 Lakh for a Photo With Lionel Messi! Hyderabad Braces for Superstar’s Grand Visit

Lionel Messi's visit to Hyderabad this weekend has sparked extraordinary excitement, but what has truly captured attention is the jaw-dropping price tag attached to an exclusive meet-and-greet with the football

legend.

Fans willing to shell out ₹9.95 lakh plus GST will get the rare opportunity to take a photograph with Messi at the opulent Falaknuma Palace-an experience capped at only 100 slots. Despite the steep cost, organisers say interest remains remarkably high, with registrations taking place via the District app.

Messi will arrive in Hyderabad on Saturday afternoon, with his schedule packed from the moment he lands. After the private engagement at Falaknuma Palace, the Argentine superstar will head to Uppal Stadium for a large-scale, three-hour public event beginning at 7 PM. He will be accompanied by two other celebrated footballers-Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suárez-both of whom are expected to draw their own share of fanfare.

The stadium programme has been designed as a community-driven celebration of football. Proceedings will open with a short exhibition match between Singareni RR-9 and Aparna Messi All Stars. Following this, 15 children-five formally trained players and ten promising youngsters from economically disadvantaged backgrounds-will take the field. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is also set to join the youngsters for a brief cameo during the match.

One of the key highlights will be a football clinic conducted by Messi himself. As a UNICEF ambassador, he will interact with children, sharing insights on technique, discipline and joy in sport. A penalty shootout event will also take place, with Messi presenting awards to the winners. The evening will conclude with a felicitation ceremony by the Chief Minister, along with a musical performance curated for the celebration.

Organising committee advisor Parvathi Reddy confirmed that all stadium tickets are available on the District app and clarified that no cricketers have been invited for the event. Messi is expected to spend the night in Hyderabad before departing for Mumbai the following morning.

While the football activities have stirred anticipation, it's the nearly ₹10 lakh photo opportunity that has become the talk of the town-reflecting both Messi's global star power and Hyderabad's growing appetite for premium sporting experiences.