The G.O.A.T Tour India is set to start from December 13, 2025, in Kolkata and will conclude on December 15, 2025, in Delhi. This will mark the player’s first visit to India after 14 years.
However, the upcoming trip is not related to football, unlike Messi’s last visit, which featured a friendly match against Venezuela.
The World Cup winner will travel across four cities, including Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi, and is expected to meet several state leaders, Bollywood stars, and more. Messi is expected to virtually unveil his 70ft statue in Kolkata, followed by a 7v7 match in Hyderabad with CM Revanath Reddy.
This will be followed by his Mumbai visit, where he is expected to walk in a charity fashion show. The tour will conclude in Delhi, where Messi will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence.
However, in all of these plans, there is no mention of any plans with the Indian football federation, which is currently struggling. Reports claim Indian footballer Sunil Chhetri was invited to meet the World Cup winner; however, the Indian player reportedly declined the offer.
Sunil Chhetri Reportedly Refused To Meet Lionel Messi
The former national team captain, who is the fourth-highest goal-scorer in India, was invited to meet with Lionel Messi during his India visit. However, as per India Today, Chhetri politely declined the offer as he believed that meeting Messi would not actually be of any help to the struggling Indian football.
For the unversed, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) failed to secure any sponsors or broadcasters for the Indian Super League (ISL). There is still no confirmation if the ISL will resume.
This Was Supposed To Be Messi’s Second Visit To India In 2025
It is worth noting that this could have been Lionel Messi’s second visit to India. The Kerala government had worked hard to acquire an international friendly with Argentina; however, those plans collapsed after they failed to secure the required permissions from FIFA.