Kerala football enthusiasts will have to wait a bit longer before they are able to watch Lionel Messi and his World Cup-winning Argentine counterparts treat the state to a live game.
Last year in November, Kerala's Sports Minister V Abdurahiman, following tireless attempts and several rounds of negotiations with Argentina Football Association (AFA)—including a crucial meeting in Spain—had announced that Messi and his squad will play at least one international friendly match on Kerala ground.
But now that Argentina's 2026 itinerary is being finalized, Kerala has been left out, for the team will be playing matches in China, Qatar, and Africa.
Messi’s last appearance in India dates back to 2011, when Argentina faced Venezuela in a friendly at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. Among the passionate supporters present were many football fans from Kerala, including CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby, who had traveled specifically to cheer for Messi.
In football-crazy Kerala districts like Malappuram and Kozhikode, the Argentine national team is extremely popular—a trend that has further grown after Messi led the charge in winning Argentina's first-ever World Cup title at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Abdurahiman himself being from Malappuram has been aggressively working towards the goal of luring Messi to Kerala. Last year, he had taken a delegation to Spain and had stated that the much-awaited encounter would take place in the fourth quarter of 2026. Unfortunately, nothing of this sort has happened, disappointing the minister as well as the Kerala government, and the local football fans are still waiting patiently.
Compounding the issue is that Kerala has state elections approaching in April/May 2026, coinciding with the timing for the next FIFA World Cup.
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