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Lionel Messi’s Kochi visit in doubt as sponsors await Argentine FA confirmation: ‘Announcement may be made by Jan 31’
Lionel Messi is expected to travel to Kerala, with the Argentine national team for an international friendly.
Lionel Messi's upcoming visit to Kochi is in doubt, according to reports. The development comes after the 2022 World Cup winner's controversial tour last year, where he visited Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. The Kolkata event descended into utter chaos, with Messi also leaving the venue quickly due to poor management. For the Kerala trip, Messi is expected to travel with the Argentine national team for an international friendly.
According to The Hindu, Reporter Broadcasting Corporation (RBC), the event's sponsor in Kerala, has been unable to guarantee that Messi and the Argentine team will arrive during the March window, a commitment publicly revealed to fans after the November 2025 visit was called off.
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The report also mentions that the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) have been unable to confirm or deny the upcoming visit, as the sponsor is still in talks with the Argentine Football Association (AFA). The GCDA had received criticism for handing over the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium to a private party for the match, without following due process, allegedly.
‘The date keeps shifting’
Speaking to The Hindu, Anto Augustine, managing director of RBC, said, "We are not in a position to officially confirm the visit, though we have an agreement in place with the AFA for the team’s arrival. However, the date keeps shifting – originally from October to November, and now to March. We have been informed that an announcement may be made by January 31 in response to a mail we sent a few days ago."
Meanwhile, the report also mentions that GCDA sources claimed, "Renovation works have been completed except for resurfacing the parking lot and finishing a short stretch of the compound wall. Floodlights will be upgraded with new LED fittings, which the sponsors have already procured, depending on whether the visit takes place. The dressing rooms, players’ area, toilets, and playing turf have all been upgraded to international standards."
