Lionel Messi, the Argentine superstar and FIFA World Cup winner, is set to visit India in late 2025 as part of his much-anticipated GOAT Tour. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on social media platform X that Messi will be in Mumbai on December 14. This will be Messi's first trip to India since he led Argentina in a friendly against Venezuela in Kolkata back in September 2011.
CM Fadnavis's announcement highlighted a special opportunity for the youth of Maharashtra. "Messi is coming to Maharashtra and will play football with you, my young friends!" the CM wrote in his post. As part of the visit, under-14 football players from across the state will be selected by the Maharashtra Sports Department, MITRA, and the Western India Football Association (WIFA). They will get a chance to train with Messi during his one-day visit, an initiative the CM described as a step towards "bringing world-class sports training to the region".
The announcement follows weeks of speculation about the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s plans for an India visit. To mark the occasion, Messi sent CM Fadnavis a personally signed football. The CM has also invited football fans and corporate sponsors to support the initiative, emphasizing the goal of nurturing the next generation of Indian football talent.
Messi’s visit to India won’t be limited to Mumbai. Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman separately confirmed that Messi and the entire FIFA World Cup-winning Argentina national team will visit Kerala from November 10 to 18 for a friendly match during the FIFA International Window. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) officially confirmed the news, stating that the match would be a part of the team's friendly schedule.
"Messi will come," Abdurahiman posted on his official Facebook page, "Official confirmation received through official mail that the Qatar World Cup-winning Argentina team including Lionel Messi will arrive in Kerala for a friendly match in the November 2025 FIFA International Window." The visits to both Mumbai, Kerala, and Kolkata, signal a major moment for Indian football fans across the country.