Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium is undergoing a comprehensive safety audit to determine its final spectator capacity for the highly anticipated friendly match against Lionel Messi’s Argentina team in November 2025.
Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, set to host Lionel Messi and his FIFA World Cup-winning Argentina team in November 2025, will undergo a comprehensive safety assessment before confirming how many fans will be allowed to attend the much-anticipated friendly.
Officials have clarified that the final spectator capacity will depend entirely on the results of a structural stability audit currently being carried out by a joint team from IIT Palakkad, the Public Works Department (Buildings), and the Sports Kerala Foundation (SKF) – the body overseeing preparations under the state’s Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs.
Experts begin audit
Experts from IIT Palakkad arrived at the stadium on Friday to begin the inspection. The evaluation will follow a detailed methodology, including physical tests if required, to ensure the structure can safely host a large crowd. Based on these findings, the government will announce the final capacity for the Argentina fixture.
“The GCDA’s original documents show that the stadium, built in 1996, was designed to hold 55,000 spectators,” said officials from SKF. “However, considering that nearly three decades have passed, we cannot assume that the same capacity remains safe today. The economic life of such a structure typically ranges from 60 to 70 years, but that depends heavily on consistent maintenance,” they added.
Capacity debate
At present, the PWD has capped seating for recent matches at around 35,000. During the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2017, the capacity was reduced from 55,000 to 42,000, after FIFA deemed evacuation from the third tier impossible within the eight-minute standard. Subsequently, local authorities installed 32,000 bucket seats across two tiers to meet FIFA’s requirements.
While the event sponsors have claimed that the upgraded stadium will be able to accommodate 50,000 spectators, both PWD and SKF sources have reiterated that this number will only be confirmed after the audit’s completion.
Renovation and preparations in full swing
The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) has handed over the stadium to SKF to oversee renovation and modernization efforts in collaboration with the event sponsors. According to the sponsors, about Rs 70 crore worth of work is now underway, including pitch upgrades in line with FIFA standards and external refurbishments scheduled to start soon.
A meeting chaired by the Chief Minister reviewed progress and directed all departments to speed up preparations for Argentina’s visit. Special attention is being given to security and parking arrangements, with officials identifying potential parking zones around the venue and finalizing plans for separate inner and outer security zones.
Meanwhile, the sponsors have issued a statement warning fans against fake ticket prices circulating online. The official ticket rates for the Argentina match will be announced shortly.
Initial plans in Thiruvananthapuram
The Kerala government and the sponsors had initially said that the match would be held at Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, a venue that can hold more people-significantly higher than the stadium in Kaloor, Kochi. It is also a much newer stadium and was inaugurated in 2015. It is unclear why the government and the sponsors decided to shift the venue despite the lack of facilities and the extra cost to renovate the stadium in Kochi.