Ahead of his India tour in December, Lionel Messi’s Argentina football team will be visiting Kerala in November for an international friendly, the country’s football federation confirmed on Saturday. Although the excat date of the match is yet to be finalised, but it is believed that the high-profile football encounter will be between November 10 and 18.

“The Argentine national team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will have two FIFA friendlies in the remainder of 2025. The first, in October, from the 6th to the 14th, will be played in the United States (opponents and cities to be determined),” the statement from Argentina Football Federation (AFA) read on their social media platforms. The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium stadium in Kochi is likely to be the venue.

The news was also shared by Kerala sports minister V Adburahiman on his social media. “World Champions Lionel Messi and his team will play in Kerala in November 2025,” the minister informed. Argentina’s Kerala visit first came into light in 2024 when Adburahiman made it public.

The initiative gained momentum when Adburahiman met with AFA officials in Spain last year. Although there were uncertainties about Argentina’s visit to India due to contractual disagreements with the Kerala givernment but things look to have been sorted.

Abdurahiman said the state had initially requested AFA to schedule the match in either October or November this year. “Initially, AFA planned it for 2026. However, we contacted them and requested that they hold the match in Kerala this year. We intend to bring the Argentina squad that won the 2022 World Cup,” the minister said.

This will be the second time Argentina will be touring India. Their first tour came in 2010 when Messi’s Argentina defeated Venezuela in an international friendly at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata. Nicolas Otamendi was the lone goalscorer. It was also the first game Messi led Argentina at an international level.

Lionel Messi’s itinerary in India tour in December

After His November visit to Kerala, Messi will return to India the next month for a three-day four-city tour from December 13 to 15. He will arrive in Kolkata before flying to Ahmedabad. Messi’s final two stops will be in Mumbai and Delhi.

• December 12: Arrival in Kolkata (10 PM).
• December 13 (Kolkata): 9 AM – Meet and greet event; Statue unveiling (70-feet) at Lake Town Sribhumi, VIP Road; 12 PM to 1.30 PM – GOAT Concert at Eden Gardens followed by GOAT Cup including Sourav Ganguly;
• December 13 (Evening): Adani Foundation private event at Shantigram, Ahmedabad.
• December 14 (Mumbai): Meet and greet at CCI (3.45pm); GOAT Concert at Wankhede Stadium (5.30 PM).
• December 15 (New Delhi): Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi; GOAT Concert at Feroz Shah Kotla (2.15 PM).

All timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST)