World champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will play a FIFA international friendly in Kerala this November, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed on Friday. The opponent for the clash is yet to be announced.
First visit since 2011
This will be Argentina’s first football outing in India since 2011, when Messi and his teammates played Venezuela in a friendly at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. Nicolás Otamendi scored the lone goal that night, sealing a 1-0 win for La Albiceleste. The Kerala fixture will mark Messi’s return to Indian soil after 14 years.
Schedule details
According to AFA’s announcement, Argentina will feature in two FIFA windows later this year. Their October matches, scheduled between the 6th and 14th, will be held in the United States. The second window, from November 10 to 18, will see Scaloni’s men play in Luanda, Angola, and Kerala, India.
The venue for the Kerala game is yet to be finalised, with Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Thiruvananthapuram both in contention. The stadium in Kochi, with a capacity of over 60,000, is the largest football ground in the state and has previously hosted FIFA U-17 World Cup matches.
Messi’s India link
Messi, now 38, remains the centre of attraction for fans worldwide. Beyond the November friendly, reports suggest he could return for a separate promotional tour in December, titled GOAT Tour of India 2025, covering Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
The Argentina captain, an Olympic gold medallist in 2008, lifted the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and guided his nation to Copa America glory again in 2024.
Football fans in India are now eagerly awaiting confirmation of the opponent and the exact venue — a rare chance to witness the reigning world champions live.
Discussion about this post