Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Lionel Andrés Messi is scheduled to land in India on Saturday to begin the GOAT India Tour 2025, which will take him to Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi over three days.
The Lionel Messi GOAT India Tour begins on December 13 in Kolkata and ends on December 15 in the national capital. Select events will be available for live streaming in India. Messi will be joined by long-time teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, who played a vital role in Argentina’s victory in the FIFA World Cup 2022. The tour features public appearances, cultural events, and celebrity football displays at key sites.
The first stop will be Kolkata, where Messi will meet and greet fans before virtually unveiling a 70-foot Lionel Messi monument that will stand at the Sreebhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town. Moreover, concerts and other events will take place at Salt Lake Stadium, which previously hosted Messi during Argentina’s 1-0 victory against Venezuela in 2011. The GOAT Tour marks Messi’s first visit to India in 14 years. Notably, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan are among the high-profile celebrities set to join Messi.
The captain of the Argentina national team and hero of their FIFA World Cup 2022 triumph is also set to participate in or attend seven-a-side football matches in all four places. Messi is scheduled to play at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad later Saturday.
On December 14, Messi will take the stage at Wankhede Stadium at 5 PM, followed by a charity fashion show. Mumbai will host Messi for the Padel GOAT Cup at Brabourne Stadium, followed by a celebrity football match starring top Bollywood stars. Messi’s other obligations include a charity fashion show, an auction of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup memorabilia, and a Spanish musical evening hosted by Luis Suárez. Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar are among those expected to attend the event.
After Mumbai, Messi will go to New Delhi on December 15 for festivities at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which will be attended by Indian cricketers and most probably the PM of India, Mr Narendra Modi.
Where to watch:
Select events from Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour 2025 will be broadcast live on the Prasar Bharati YouTube channel and the Waves OTT app. The DD Sports TV station will have a live telecast.
