Malappuram: Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman on Monday announced that the Argentina football team, led by star player Lionel Messi, will visit the state in March 2026 to play a match.
Speaking at an event organised as part of the Kerala government’s Sports Vision 2031 initiative, the minister said the confirmation came directly from the team.
“Two days ago, we received an email from the Argentina team confirming their visit in March. They also mentioned that an official announcement will be made soon,” he said.
Abdurahiman added that all preparatory works for the team’s visit have been completed. He explained that the government had earlier planned to host the South American side at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi this month.
“Even though we expected to complete the facilities at the stadium in Kochi, due to some inconvenience, the work could not be finished on time. As the stadium approval was not received, we could not host the match,” he said.
The minister emphasised that changes in the schedule of international fixtures were not unusual and should not be viewed as a setback.
“Changes in the schedule of international matches are common and should not be seen as anyone’s victory or defeat. Our attempt to bring such a major football event to Kerala itself is commendable,” he stated.
Highlighting the state’s broader goals, Abdurahiman said the government is working to promote Kerala’s sports economy by hosting more international sporting events.
“Football and cricket have now become part of a large sports economy that provides employment to lakhs. So why should we hesitate to be part of it? We have decided to engage actively in this sector,” he said.
Earlier, the Sports Department and its sponsor had announced that Argentina would play against a top international side in Kochi this month. However, Argentina later released its November international friendlies schedule, which did not include any match in Kochi.
With PTI inputs