The Kerala Sports Department has officially sought a clarification from the sponsors following the withdrawal of the Argentina national football team, led by Lionel Messi, from their proposed visit to the state. According to government sources, the sponsors failed to fulfill their financial commitments, which directly led to the cancellation of the highly anticipated event.
Initially, sponsors had promised to release funds by January, but despite the verbal assurances, the promised amount was never transferred. The sports department has now decided to issue a formal letter seeking an explanation for the breach of agreement. The office of Kerala’s Sports Minister confirmed yesterday that Messi and the Argentine team will not be visiting Kerala.
The estimated budget for bringing the World Cup-winning team to Kerala exceeded ₹300 crore, of which around ₹200 crore was earmarked for the Argentina team alone. The government, however, was unable to secure this amount due to the withdrawal of three key sponsors, all of whom refused to proceed with the payment.
Adding to the complications, the Argentine team already has international commitments in the months of October and November, the timeframe originally discussed for their Kerala tour. Reports from Argentine media confirm that the team will play two friendly matches in China in October, followed by games in Africa and Qatar in November.
Previously, Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman had announced that Argentina had agreed to play two friendly matches in the state. However, with financial backing falling apart and scheduling conflicts emerging, the dream of bringing Lionel Messi and his team to Kerala has now been indefinitely postponed.
