The highly anticipated friendly football match featuring Lionel Messi and the Argentinian national team, scheduled for November 17 in Kochi, has been postponed. Anto Augustine, managing director of the sponsoring company Reporter Broadcasting, announced the decision on Saturday via social media, citing delays in obtaining necessary permissions from FIFA.
Augustine stated on Facebook that following discussions with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the match would be moved from the November international window. "Considering the delay in receiving FIFA’s permission... it has been decided to postpone the match from the November window," Augustine wrote. He added that the fixture is expected to take place during a future international window, with a new date to be announced soon.
The confirmation follows weeks of speculation and conflicting reports. Despite initial announcements by the Kerala Sports Minister and AFA confirming the match in August, recent reports from Argentinian media suggested the India leg of their November tour was unlikely due to logistical concerns and player workload management ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Augustine himself had previously dismissed cancellation rumors as "baseless." Adding to the confusion, the AFA released a statement confirming Argentina's November plans involve training in Spain and a single friendly against Angola in Luanda on November 14, making no mention of a trip to India.
Furthermore, Australia, previously named by Kerala officials as the potential opponent for Argentina in Kochi, has confirmed its own November fixtures against Venezuela and Colombia in the USA, ruling them out. Officials from the Kerala Sports Minister's office indicated they had not received official communication about the postponement as of Saturday but would seek confirmation.