Football: Lionel Messi’s 2025 visit to India schedule and cities confirmed
Kolkata to serve as first stop on Messi’s India tour
Indian football fans are bursting with excitement, as Major League Soccer star Lionel Messi is set to arrive in India in December this year, returning to the nation’s shores for the first time since his visit to Kolkata back in 2011.
The latest reports suggest that the Inter Miami and Argentina captain will arrive in the City of Joy again this year before heading to Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi between December 12 and 14. There is no indication just yet as to who he will be touring with.
The headline event of the World Cup winner’s tour of the country is the unveiling of his 70-foot-high statue in Lake Town Sribhumi on VIP Road, which organisers claim will be the tallest of the Argentine superstar anywhere in the world.
Initial plans had suggested that Messi’s tour of India would include a stop in Kerala, but Sports Minister V Abdurahiman confirmed at the start of this week that the football icon would not be travelling to the state due to what is believed to be sponsors’ “scheduling issues.”
Messi’s Ahmedabad and Mumbai schedule
Messi is expected to depart Kolkata for a private event hosted by the Adani Foundation in Ahmedabad on the evening of December 13, before heading for Mumbai the following day, where a bumper-to-bumper itinerary awaits.
The Herons’ skipper will first head to the CCI for a meet and greet, followed by the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup. It is understood that the GOAT Cup will be a seven-a-side soft-ball game featuring Indian sports and entertainment celebrities, including Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes, John Abraham and former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia.
A few reports from Indian news outlets have also indicated that Messi could trade his boots for pads, with the possibility that he could be part of an exhibition cricket match at the Wankhede Stadium alongside Indian cricket stars MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
Final stop: New Delhi and PM Modi meeting
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s final stop on his tour of India will be the nation’s capital, where he will be greeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participate in a "masterclass" with local children. An event spokesperson mentioned:
"Messi will be imparting masterclass with kids at every centre. The main idea is to celebrate Messi’s success, giving little bit, for instance 30 to 40 minutes to motivate the young generation of players."
Before Messi arrives in India, though, his focus will be firmly fixed on helping Inter Miami to the MLS title. The Argentine is currently the highest goal-scorer in the US top flight this season, and you can follow every minute of the 2025 season via our football livescore tool.
