AFA official Leandro Petersen accused the Kerala government of breaching a deal for Messi’s visit, while sponsor Anto Augustine claims AFA took Rs 130 crore. Dispute stalls Argentina team’s planned friendlies in Kerala, with legal action threatened.
Thiruvananthapuram: A senior official of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has reportedly accused the Kerala government of failing to uphold an agreement regarding the planned visit of Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to the state. Leandro Petersen, AFA’s Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, shifted responsibility to the state authorities after confirmation that the World Cup-winning team would not travel to Kerala this year to play two friendly matches, despite repeated assurances from Sports Minister V Abdurahiman. Responding to claims that AFA had agreed to send the team to Kerala in October 2025, Petersen told a media house, “Not true, no way. The party that failed to honour the agreement was the Kerala government. It breached the contract.” He declined to elaborate on how the state or its partners allegedly violated the deal.
When asked about the sponsor’s claim that they paid AFA 130 crore rupees but the team still didn’t visit, Petersen denied the allegation and said the Kerala government breached the contract. He declined to answer further questions. Earlier, an RTI document obtained by Asianet News had revealed that the Kerala government spent Rs 13 Lakh Abdurahiman’s visit to Spain purportedly to invite Argentina Football Team and their talisman Lionel Messi. The minister had earlier claimed that bringing Messi wouldn’t cost the government a ‘single rupee’, later stating that Messi and Argentina would not visit India due to scheduling conflicts. Efforts were made to bring Messi to Kerala in October, but the parties involved later informed that he would be unavailable during that month. Since the sponsors had stipulated October as the only possible timeframe, it was finalized that the Argentine football legend would not be coming.
Sponsors Accuse Argentina FA of Agreement Breach
Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Reporter TV Broadcasting Corporation, said that the company paid Rs 130 crore to the Argentina Football Association (AFA) to bring the Argentinian national football team, including Lionel Messi, to Kerala. He had added that if the AFA fails to honour the agreement after receiving the payment, it would constitute a breach of contract, which could lead to legal action. “Reporter Broadcasting has received an official email from the AFA confirming the receipt of the full amount. the payment was made on June 6 using personal funds rather than public contributions. Contract confidentiality prevents the release of payment documents,” he added.
Anto Augustine suspects the AFA may be trying to renegotiate after recognizing Kerala’s market potential. All logistical preparations for the match at Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield Stadium are in place. Anto Augustine emphasized that Reporter Broadcasting will wait up to two more weeks for a definitive response from the AFA. If confirmation is not received within this period, they plan to begin legal proceedings to address the situation.
In a separate interview with Mundo Albiceleste, Petersen revealed that AFA intends to tour India, Bangladesh, and certain African nations in the medium term, but said a short-term visit is unlikely due to a packed schedule. Messi, who led Argentina to their third FIFA World Cup triumph in 2022, enjoys massive popularity in Kerala, where both Argentina and Brazil command passionate fan bases.