Mamata Bannerjee apologises to Lionel Messi, ensures Justice to Fans after Debacle in Kolkata

Lionel Messi's Kolkata event during his GOAT Tour descended into chaos at Salt Lake Stadium due to severe crowd mismanagement. Fans, frustrated after the star's abrupt 10-minute exit, hurled bottles, tore banners, and threw chairs.​

The incident occurred on December 13, 2025, at Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan during Messi's India promotional tour. Thousands of ticket-holding fans gathered expecting interactions, but unauthorized crowds of celebrities, politicians, and officials swarmed Messi upon arrival, breaching security. Messi waved briefly amid "Messi, Messi" chants but left under heavy escort as the pitch turned unsafe, cancelling all planned activities.​

Chaos Unfolds

Angry supporters stormed barricades, booed politicians accused of monopolizing access,

and vandalized sponsor displays after waiting hours without a proper view. Social media captured bottles raining down and fans breaching gates, evoking past Eden Gardens disorder. Organizers like Shatadru Dutta issued futile PA warnings, highlighting lapses in crowd control.

Fan Backlash

Disappointed attendees cited unfulfilled promises, like no Shah Rukh Khan appearance or penalty kicks, calling it a "terrible event" wasting money and emotions. Videos showed a venue in disarray, tarnishing what was billed as a historic football moment in India. No injuries were widely reported, but the fiasco sparked demands for better event management.

Mamata Banerjee ensures Justice

After the huge chaos, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has released a statement, apologizing to Lionel Messi and the fans for the incident. The CM also assured an investigation to identify the chaos makers. She was on her way to the stadium for an interaction with Messi, but that had to be cancelled as well.

"I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi. I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident," the statement read.

"I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members. The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future. Once again, I extend my heartfelt apologies to all sports lovers," it added.