Hyderabad replaces Ahmedabad in Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour of India 2025
Hyderabad has replaced Ahmedabad as a stop on Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour of India 2025 after Argentina’s proposed friendly in Kochi was cancelled. The tour begins December 13 in Kolkata, followed by Hyderabad, Mumbai, and ends in New Delhi on December 15. The tour features Messi interacting with fans and celebrities, including a seven-a-side football match called the GOAT Cup.
The GOAT Tour of India 2025 with football legend Lionel Messi has seen Hyderabad replace Ahmedabad in its itinerary due to the cancellation of Argentina’s friendly match in Kochi. The tour kicks off on December 13 in Kolkata, where Messi will begin his visit and then proceed to Hyderabad the same evening. Initially, Messi was scheduled to be in Ahmedabad for a sponsors' event, now shifted to Mumbai, which he will visit on December 14 before concluding the tour in New Delhi on December 15. The Hyderabad leg will include the GOAT Cup, a celebratory seven-a-side soft-touch football match featuring celebrities. Ticket prices start at Rs 3,500 and fan interaction events are planned. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to felicitate Messi during the Hyderabad event. Accompanying Messi will be Uruguay great Luis Suarez and Argentina’s Rodrigo de Paul, both close teammates. Ticket sales have been extremely strong, with Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium sold out and Kolkata and New Delhi venues nearing full capacity. This will be Messi’s second visit to India, having previously captained Argentina in a friendly at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, a match that contributed to his decision to agree to the current tour, influenced by positive feedback from Emiliano Martinez and Ronaldinho, who toured Kolkata in 2023.
