The chaos at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium has had a knock-on effect on Lionel Messi’s next stop in India, with security significantly tightened ahead of his visit to Hyderabad.
The Argentine is scheduled for a short, tightly managed appearance on the field in the Telangana capital, including a 10-minute period of football and a ceremonial gunfight with Prime Minister Revanth Reddy.
Messi will tour four Indian cities – Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi – as part of an event dubbed the ‘GOAT Tour of India’, along with Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez.
As per the current schedule, Messi will kick off a friendly match titled ‘GOAT Cup’ with CM Reddy at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal on Saturday at 7 pm.
After the performance at the stadium, the World Cup winner will head to the Falaknuma Palace for a behind-closed-doors meet-and-greet and dinner, expected to be attended by the Chief Minister and several prominent figures from the Telugu film industry.
Speaking about the visit, organizer Prabhakaran said the Telangana government’s involvement was borne out of the Chief Minister’s personal interest in football.
«The Prime Minister is genuinely passionate about the sport – he plays football – and the state has taken initiatives such as starting a FIFA academy. This visit will further inspire these efforts, and the government machinery is fully aligned to support the event,» he said.
Published on December 13, 2025
