Kochi, October 25 (Udaipur Kiran) — Football fans in India will have to wait longer to watch Lionel Messi and his Argentina team in action, as their much-anticipated friendly match in Kochi has been postponed. The game, earlier scheduled for November 17 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, will now be held during an upcoming FIFA international match window.
The announcement was made by Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Reporter Broadcasting Company and Emraj Group International, through social media on Saturday. He cited delays in obtaining permission from FIFA as the main reason for the postponement.
Augustine indicated that the match, originally planned to be Argentina’s first-ever appearance in India, will be rescheduled for the next international window, with new dates to be announced soon.
In a Facebook post, Augustine wrote, “Due to delays in FIFA’s approval, and after discussions with the Argentina Football Association (AFA), it has been decided to postpone the match from the November window.”
Earlier, Spanish media outlet La Nación quoted an AFA official confirming that the three-time FIFA World Cup champions would not travel to Kerala, as India failed to meet certain hosting requirements and reportedly violated multiple regulations during the process.
The AFA official said, “We made every effort to organize the match in November. A delegation even visited India to inspect the stadium and hotels, but unfortunately, India could not fulfill the required conditions. Repeated breaches of regulations forced us to restructure the agreement and decide on a new date.”
Reports from Argentine media had earlier suggested that the match might be deferred until March 2026 if rescheduling within the current season proves difficult.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.