Malappuram: Football fever is set to grip Kerala once again — this time with a global twist. Kerala’s Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman has confirmed that the Argentina national football team, led by global superstar Lionel Messi, will visit the state in March next year.
The confirmation came during a Vision Seminar organized by the Sports Department in Malappuram, where the minister revealed that an official email from the Argentina team had been received just two days ago.
They have confirmed that they will definitely come to Kerala in March and will make a formal announcement soon,” said Minister Abdurahiman.
Initially, the plan was to host the world champions in November at the Kochi International Stadium, but the event had to be postponed due to infrastructure-related issues. Although those concerns have now been resolved, the stadium’s formal approval is still pending — leading to the revised schedule for March.
The minister emphasized that Messi’s arrival and Argentina’s match in Kerala should not be seen through a political lens.
The government’s focus is not on politics but on developing Kerala’s sports sector to meet international standards,” minister said.
Highlighting Kerala’s pioneering initiatives, he added that the state is the first in India to implement a ‘Sports Economy’ model, designed to attract more international sporting events and boost related industries.
Argentina’s upcoming visit, he noted, will mark a historic milestone — bringing the world champions to football-loving Kerala and turning the state into a new destination for global sports action.
