Messi to Visit India, Meet Fans Across Three Cities

Kolkata: Lionel Messi is back in India, but this time, football fans might have to settle for spectacle over sport. Unlike his 2011 visit, when more than 85,000 fans thronged Salt Lake Stadium to watch him dazzle on the pitch, the ‘G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025’ is purely promotional.

Messi’s three-day whirlwind will cover Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi, featuring celebrity meet-and-greets, fashion events, musical shows, and high-profile meetings, including one with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In Kolkata, 78,000 seats are open for his 45-minute appearance, alongside a planned 70-feet statue and a mural to celebrate the superstar.

Mumbai will host a philanthropic fashion event with Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, while Hyderabad will see a 7v7 celebrity football match and youth masterclass. Delhi concludes the tour with young football prodigies being felicitated and a nine-a-side celebrity game.