by 
International Desk, May 9, 2025 :The much-anticipated visit of the Argentina national football team, led by Lionel Messi, to India has been called off, dashing the hopes of millions of fans.
The World Cup-winning team was scheduled to play a friendly match in Kerala in October 2025, as announced earlier by Kerala’s Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman. However, financial constraints have derailed the plan.
According to sources in a national Indian media outlet, organizing the visit required a minimum budget of ₹100 crore, which the organizers have failed to secure. The deadline for finalizing the agreement with the Argentine team has also expired, and the event organizers reportedly could not fulfill the necessary financial commitments.
The All Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants Association was tasked with securing sponsorship funds. They attempted to raise ₹100 crore through the ‘Oloppo’ app, with ₹70 crore allocated specifically for the Argentina team’s appearance. However, the fundraising efforts fell short. When the plan began to falter, the Kerala government transferred the sponsorship responsibilities to Report Broadcasting Company Private Limited, but this move failed to salvage the situation.
In March, Sports Minister Abdurahiman had announced at an event in Kozhikode that Messi and his team would visit Kerala from October 25 to November 2, 2025, for a seven-day tour. The itinerary included a friendly match and a 20-minute interactive session with fans to discuss football. However, uncertainty now looms over the visit, leaving fans disappointed.
This would have been Argentina’s second visit to India after 14 years, following their last trip in 2011. Earlier, a plan to bring the team to Bangladesh after their 2022 Qatar World Cup victory also fell through at the last moment. The cancellation of the India tour underscores the logistical and financial challenges of hosting a global football powerhouse like Argentina.
AI/MR
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