Kerala’s much-awaited football event featuring Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team has been officially cancelled due to a failure to secure the required ₹100 crore in funding. The organizers fell short by a significant margin, with ₹70 crore needed to cover the team’s appearance fee alone.
Initially, the All Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants Association (AKGSMA) was tasked with raising the funds through their ‘Oloppo’ app. However, they were unable to meet the financial target within the given deadline. The state government then handed the sponsorship responsibility to Reporter Broadcasting Company Pvt Ltd, but the event could not be saved.
In light of the cancellation, Argentina has revised its schedule, with the team now set to play two matches in China and one each in Qatar and Angola during the October–November international break. This would have been Messi’s second visit to India, after his first appearance in 2011 when Argentina faced Venezuela at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.
Kerala’s Sports Minister, V. Abdurahiman, refrained from commenting on the cancellation, stating that the sponsors would handle the inquiries. Fans in Kerala are left heartbroken, missing out on the opportunity to watch the World Cup-winning team and Messi perform on home soil.
