Messi in India: Argentinian star to visit Hyderabad during ‘GOAT tour’

Lionel Messi’s much-awaited ‘GOAT Tour to India 2025’ just got bigger with the addition of Hyderabad as the new southern leg stop to ensure fans in the region are not «deprived» of seeing their idol following the cancellation of Argentina’s proposed friendly in Kerala.

The decision to add Hyderabad comes in the wake of the cancellation of Argentina’s proposed friendly match in Kochi, which was originally announced by Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman for November 17.

The revised plan now sees Messi’s ‘GOAT Tour’ cover all four corners of India – east (Kolkata), south (Hyderabad), west (Mumbai) and north (New Delhi) – making it one of the biggest sporting spectacles ever staged in the country.

«Now we are covering the south too. This will be a tribute to millions of football fans in south India,» said Satadru Dutta, the sole organizer of the ‘GOAT Tour to India 2025’. PTI on Saturday.

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«This covers every part of India. The west is covered via Mumbai, the east via Kolkata, the north via Delhi. There is a huge Messi fan base in Chennai, Kerala and Hyderabad,» Dutta said.

“I wanted to make it a pan-India event and now that the Kerala event has been cancelled, people from the South will not be able to see Messi,” he said, adding that Hyderabad had been chosen to give the region some of the Messi magic.

«South should also highlight Messi so that people from south can travel to Hyderabad and watch him. The booking for the event in Hyderabad will be done within a week. The event has been confirmed and will be held at Gachibowli or Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium,» Dutta confirmed.

Revised schedule of Lionel Messi’s tour to India

He added that the Hyderabad leg will not be just a stopover but a grand celebration.

«It will be an extension of the GOAT Cup as there will be a celebrity match, a football clinic, felicitations and a musical programme. All the superstars of the South will be present,» he revealed.

Dutta said he has already held preliminary discussions with local organizers in Hyderabad and has received strong support from them. «We have had discussions with my local partners. They (Hyderabad local organizers) are helping and want to do it in a big way. They are very enthusiastic,» he said.

Giving details of the revised route, Dutta said there has been “a minor change” with the Ahmedabad stretch now being replaced by Hyderabad. “The Ahmedabad sponsorship event would now be held in Mumbai.” «Messi will land around midnight on December 12 or in the early hours of December 13. From Miami he will come to Dubai, where he will rest for a day or two. Then he would travel to Calcutta by private jet,» he said.

The Argentine superstar, who last visited India in 2011 for a friendly against Venezuela, will be joined by his old teammates and friends Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, who have already confirmed their participation in the tour.

Conceptualized by Dutta, the GOAT Tour will feature a mix of celebrity football matches, musical events, meet-and-greet sessions, masterclasses for children and felicitation ceremonies in four cities.

Messi will start his tour in Kolkata on December 13, followed by Hyderabad the same evening, before traveling to Mumbai on December 14 and ending in New Delhi on December 15, where he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The match in Kerala was later postponed to the next FIFA window due to delays in obtaining the necessary approvals, leading to public disappointment and political controversy.

Kochi’s cancellation has left fans in Kerala disheartened but Dutta said he was determined not to let the southern region miss out on Messi’s visit.

«I wanted to ensure that people in South India, especially those in Kerala, Chennai and Hyderabad, do not feel left behind after the cancellation. That’s why Hyderabad was the obvious choice. It is centrally located and has a huge fan base,» he said.

The event in Hyderabad, Dutta said, will be designed to showcase the passion of South Indian fans.

«It’s going to be huge. The energy in Hyderabad is special and with all the southern stars coming together, it will be one of the most memorable legs of the tour,» he promised.

Ticket sales have generated a huge response at various locations.

In Mumbai, all 28,000 seats at Wankhede Stadium, priced from Rs 6,980, have already been sold out, the ticketing portal shows district.in.

The 68,000-capacity stadium in Kolkata is nearing full occupancy, with tickets starting from Rs 4,366, while in New Delhi, where the Arun Jaitley Stadium can accommodate 28,000 fans, prices start at Rs 7,670 and it is also almost sold out, Dutta said.

Published on November 1, 2025