Kochi: The much-anticipated friendly match between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and an opponent in India has been postponed, with organisers citing delays in receiving FIFA’s approval. Originally scheduled for 17 November at Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the fixture will now be held during a future FIFA international window.
Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Reporter Broadcasting Company and Emaraj Group International, confirmed the postponement on social media. “Considering the delay in receiving FIFA’s permission, after discussions with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), it has been decided to postpone the match from the November window,” he wrote on Facebook, adding that a new date would be announced soon.
The announcement follows weeks of uncertainty surrounding the event. Since the Kerala Sports Minister first revealed plans for the match, conflicting statements have emerged. At one point, the Minister claimed the match was cancelled, only for the AFA to later confirm in August that Argentina would still play in Kochi.
However, Spanish outlet La Nacion, quoting an AFA official, reported that the match would not go ahead in Kerala due to the state’s failure to meet hosting requirements and “repeated breaches”. “We did everything possible to make it happen in November; a delegation even travelled to India to see the field, the hotel… but ultimately, India couldn’t meet the requirements. Unfortunately, there were repeated breaches by India,” the official said, adding that the contract would be reorganised.
Recent Argentine media reports suggest the match may now be rescheduled for March 2026, though no official confirmation has been issued.
(Inputs from IANS)