Lionel Messi's much-awaited trip to Kochi, Kerala, has hit a roadblock, with the friendly match involving Argentina being postponed indefinitely. The high-profile fixture, originally scheduled for November
17 at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, was set to mark the World Cup-winning captain's first-ever match appearance in India.
The announcement was made by Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Emaraj Group International and the event's chief sponsor. Taking to Facebook on Saturday (October 25), the Kerala-born businessman said the postponement was due to a "delay in receiving FIFA's permission" to host the game.
"Considering the delay in receiving FIFA's permission, after discussions with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), it has been decided to postpone the match from the November window," Augustine wrote. He added that organizers were in touch with all parties involved to finalize a new date, likely during the next international window.
However, confusion remains on the state government's side. A PTI report quoted officials from the Kerala Sports Ministry saying they had not yet received any official communication regarding the postponement. "The department will speak with the concerned authorities and confirm the change," an official said.
Meanwhile, reports from Spanish outlet La Nacion suggest that the AFA decided to cancel Argentina's India leg because Kerala failed to meet the necessary conditions to host the match. The publication cited an AFA official as saying, "We did everything possible to make it happen in November; a delegation even traveled to India to see the field, the hotel. but ultimately, India couldn't meet the requirements. Unfortunately, there were repeated breaches by India, and what we're going to do is reorganize the contract to find a new date. "
While the delay is disappointing for Indian fans, there's still some good news - Messi is expected to visit India in December 2025 as part of his 'GOAT Tour', covering Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. However, this tour is not expected to feature any football matches.
