Lionel Messi-led Argentina's friendly in Kochi on November 17 officially called off

Lionel Messi and Co. will now play just one international game as part of their revised schedule

In what comes as a major disappointment for the Indian football fans, Argentina’s highly anticipated friendly match in Kochi has been postponed. The world champions, led by Lionel Messi, were scheduled to play in Kerala on November 17th, but the AFA have now confirmed that the fixture will not take place as planned.

“The Argentine national team led by Lionel Scaloni will travel to Spain in November to train and then move to Luanda to face the only friendly match against the Angola national team on Nov 14. After the match, the delegation will return to the old continent to continue with the work until Nov 18, the day on which the FIFA date ends,” the AFA said in a statement on its official website on Saturday.

The original announcement had shown India on the Argentina football team‘s itinerary for November 10-18, along with Angola. The match in Kerala, which was rumoured to occur in the JLN Stadium, Kochi, had generated huge excitement among fans, especially with Lionel Messi and the World-Cup winning squad expected to make an appearance.

Earlier this month, the AFA representatives had visited the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi to assess and inspect the facilities.

Why was Argentina’s friendly in Kochi called off?

In a recent update posted on his official Facebook page, Anto Augustine, the sponsor of the fixture, confirmed that the match will not take place next month.

His statement said that the event had been postponed due to “delays in obtaining FIFA approval” and the decision was taken after a meeting with the Argentine Football Association (AFA). He added that the friendly in Kerala would be held during the next international window, and that the new date would be announced soon.

Meanwhile, Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman said they had not yet received any official communication regarding the postponement.

“The department will speak with the concerned authorities and confirm the change in schedule,” an official said.

The statement has left fans and the state officials in a state of confusion, as no fresh timeline has been officially shared by the AFA or the local organisers.

Messi to visit India in December

Meanwhile, Argentine Football icon Lionel Messi is all set to visit India in December 2025 as part of a three-day event titled “The GOAT Tour of India 2025.” The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will travel across Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi between December 13 and 15.

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