Messi-led Argentina to face Australia in Kochi in November

THE Lionel Messi-led Argentina side is all set to visit Kerala in November for an eagerly-awaited friendly match. While the exact date has yet to be confirmed, a media report by the news agency PTI revealed that the opponent is all but confirmed, with a member of the Argentine support staff already arriving in Kochi for venue inspection.

Sources told PTI that the date has not been fixed yet, but the match will take place in Kochi, between November 12 and November 18. They also added that Australia will most likely be Argentina's opponent in the game.

Another source said that a member of the Argentine support staff is expected to land in Kochi on Wednesday "for venue inspection."

Earlier, there were a few controversies surrounding the speculations on Argentina's friendly game in Kerala. It said that the match is unlikely to happen. However, all the rumours were put to rest after the FIFA World Cup champions announced that they would play a game in Kerala in November.

"The Argentine national team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will have two FIFA friendlies in the remainder of 2025. The first, in October, from the 6th to the 14th, will be played in the United States (opponents and cities to be determined)," the Argentine Football Association had written on its official X handle.

"The second, FIFA friendlies in November, from the 10th to the 18th, will be played in Luanda, Angola, and Kerala, India (opponents to be determined)," the AFA statement had read.

Later, the state's sports minister V Abdurahiman also confirmed the Argentinian's arrival.

Following the match in Kerala, the Argentina side will tour India in December, with stopovers in Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Delhi, where a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planned.

This will be Argentina's second visit to India. Earlier, Messi led the team in a friendly against Venezuela in 2011 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.