Lionel Messi and Argentina team to play in Kerala this November, says Sports Minister

Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman on Saturday reaffirmed that the Argentina football team, led by captain Lionel Messi, will arrive in the state this November to play a match.

The Minister’s statement comes amid doubts raised by the Opposition Congress party. Last week, state Congress president Sunny Joseph had accused Abdurahiman of raising ‘false hopes’ over Messi’s visit, demanding clarity from the government.

Responding to these concerns, Abdurahiman said there was no reason for confusion. “The Argentina team has not said they will skip Kerala. On the contrary, we have been informed of their arrival in November. Security arrangements have already been requested,” he said.

He also clarified that Messi’s reported plans to visit Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Delhi in mid-November are part of a personal trip, not linked to the Argentina Football Association (AFA).

Addressing concerns over sponsorship, the Minister said the AFA had assured the event would go ahead despite the original sponsor pulling out. “My visit to Spain was not just about meeting AFA officials, but also to hold discussions with Spain’s Sports Council on the new stadium project in Thiruvananthapuram,” he added.

Reports earlier this week suggested Messi would be in Kolkata on November 12, Ahmedabad on the 13th, Mumbai on the 14th, and Delhi on the 15th, where he is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Conflicting announcements have created uncertainty, especially after AFA’s Head of Marketing, Leandro Peterson, accused the Kerala government of breaching its contract — claiming this led to the collapse of the original deal.

Despite this, the state government remains optimistic. Abdurahiman stressed that talks with AFA are ongoing and confirmed that Kerala will host Messi and the Argentina team in November.