Argentina Football Team’s Visit to Kerala Postponed
The much-awaited trip of the Argentina national football team, featuring star player Lionel Messi, to Kerala next month has been postponed, as confirmed by the event’s sponsor on Saturday.
Anto Augustine, who was overseeing the planned friendly match in partnership with the Kerala state sports department, had previously announced that Argentina was set to play in Kochi on November 17. However, he later shared on Facebook that the match will not happen as planned.
“Due to delays in getting FIFA’s permission, after talks with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), we have decided to postpone the match from the November schedule,” Augustine explained. He mentioned that the match will now take place during the next international window, with a new date to be revealed soon.
Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman pointed out that Argentina’s visit depends on FIFA’s approval. He highlighted that the team had initially organized two matches for November—one in Angola and the other in Kerala. “They will play in Angola, but we haven’t heard about the Kerala match yet,” he said.
Despite support from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Asian Football Confederation, the green light from FIFA is still pending, Abdurahiman noted. He mentioned that all required documents for FIFA’s clearance were submitted late on Friday.
“If we get FIFA’s approval soon, the match could still happen during this window. The sponsors likely meant if it doesn’t go ahead now, it will be rescheduled for the next international window,” he added.
Abdurahiman assured that inspections of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi had been completed. “The stadium currently uses halogen lights, which take time to warm up. We are in the process of replacing them with new lights. Fire and safety checks are done, leaving only FIFA’s approval pending. We hope to receive it this week,” he said.
He also shared that the Thiruvananthapuram stadium was not chosen because of its poor condition. “While Kochi’s stadium is in good shape, some minor issues have delayed FIFA’s approval,” he added. The minister emphasized that hosting a full Argentine team match was essential, stating, “A Messi-only visit wouldn’t benefit the sports sector as much; we prefer the entire team.”
Abdurahiman pointed out that some emails from concerned individuals in Kerala had contributed to the postponement. “AFA representatives checked the facilities and were pleased, but messages from some here caused delays. Our own people have hindered this event,” he noted.
Previously, AFA officials had visited the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium to assess the facilities. Fans were eagerly looking forward to seeing the Argentine team, along with Messi, play against a strong international opponent in the friendly match in Kochi.
