Ending months of speculation, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has officially announced that the reigning world champions, Argentina, will play an international friendly match in Kerala this November. The confirmation is a massive boost for football fans in the state and across India, who will get to see the Lionel Messi-led squad in action. The match is scheduled to take place during the FIFA international window between November 10 and 18, with Kochi being a potential host city.
In a statement posted on its official X handle on Friday, the AFA detailed the team's schedule for the remainder of the year. “The Argentine national team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will have two FIFA friendly windows in the remainder of 2025,” the statement read. “The first, in October, from the 6th to the 14th, will be played in the United States (opponents and cities to be determined). The second, a FIFA friendlies in November, from the 10th to the 18th, will be played in Luanda, Angola, and Kerala, India (opponents to be determined).”
The announcement comes as a major relief for local organisers and the Kerala government, resolving previous uncertainty surrounding the tour. Earlier this year, Kerala’s Sports Minister, V. Abdurahiman, had cast doubt on the visit, stating that the team would not come in 2025. The situation had become tense, with the state’s commercial partner, Reporter Broadcasting Company, threatening legal action against the Argentine camp if the tour did not materialise by the end of the year.
This will be Argentina's first visit to India in 14 years. The last time La Albiceleste played in the country was in 2011, when they faced Venezuela in a friendly at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Their return as the current FIFA World Cup champions makes the upcoming match in Kerala one of the most anticipated sporting events in the nation's recent history.
Indian football enthusiasts could be in for a double delight, as reports also suggest that Lionel Messi is expected to have a separate, individual tour across India in December. This potential tour, titled the ‘GOAT Tour of India 2025’, is slated to cover multiple cities, including Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi, and may feature events like a statue unveiling and a special ‘GOAT Cup’.
