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Messi’s Kerala Match in Doubt? Argentina’s Nov 17 Friendly May Move to Africa Amid Shock Reports

Shivansh Rana | 3 min read | 3 days ago | Oct 14, 2025 12:27 am IST
Messi's Kerala Match in Doubt? Argentina's Nov 17 Friendly May Move to Africa Amid Shock Reports

Is the dream over before it even began? Football fans across Kerala, and all of India, are on high alert as bombshell reports from Argentina suggest the much-awaited friendly match against Australia on November 17, 2025, might be moved out of Kochi entirely.

Key Takeaways

  • Match in Question: The Argentina vs. Australia friendly, scheduled for Nov 17, 2025, in Kochi, is now surrounded by uncertainty.
  • Conflicting News: Local sponsors are adamant the match is on, but top Argentine sports network TyC Sports reports a possible shift to Morocco, Africa.
  • Messi’s Status: The entire World Cup-winning squad, led by Lionel Messi, was expected to play in Kerala, making the potential cancellation a huge blow.
  • Separate Tour Still On: Even if this match is cancelled, Messi’s personal “GOAT Tour 2025” in December across four other Indian cities is still confirmed.

Kerala Was All Set

Look, the preparations were in full swing. On October 7, Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself chaired a high-level meeting to get everything ready. They talked about upgrading Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium to handle the massive crowd of around 60,000 spectators. Safety, traffic, crowd management… everything was on the table. It was real. The sponsor, Reporter Broadcasting Company’s MD Anto Augustine, confirmed it. He said the World Cup winners were coming to Kochi.

Then, The Shocking Twist From Argentina

But then, things got complicated. Reports started surfacing from TyC Sports, a major sports network in Argentina. They claimed the Argentina Football Association (AFA) was rethinking its November tour. And the match planned for Kerala? It might be moved. To Africa. Yeah, you read that right. Morocco has emerged as a potential new host, apparently for “logistical convenience and competitive advantages.” It’s a massive curveball that nobody saw coming.

Sponsor Fires Back: “It’s Happening!”

Here’s the thing. The local organizers are not backing down. On October 13, Anto Augustine came out swinging. He flatly denied all the cancellation rumors. He was clear: the match is happening in Kochi, and that’s final. So now you have two completely different stories. One from the people paying for the match in India, and another from a major media house in Argentina. Who do you believe?

So, Will You See Messi in Kochi?

Honestly, it’s anyone’s guess right now. The last time these two teams met, Argentina scraped by with a 2-1 victory during the World Cup in Qatar. A rematch in India would be epic. The teams are supposed to arrive in mid-November, so a final decision has to come soon. But here’s some good news for Messi fans. Even if the Kerala friendly gets called off, Messi is still coming to India. His separate “GOAT Tour 2025” is locked in for December 13-15. He’ll be making appearances and playing exhibition matches in Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. That one is confirmed. But will Kerala get its dream match? The entire country is waiting to find out. What do you think will happen?