Argentina have confirmed they will play a FIFA friendly match against an undisclosed opponent in Kerala, India, during November 2025. The match is scheduled between November 10 and 18, with Kochi being the likely venue.
The Argentine
Football Association made the announcement on their official X platform.
"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 statement read.
"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)."
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Kerala sports minister V Adburahiman shared the news on his social media platforms.
"World Champions Lionel Messi and his team will play in Kerala in November 2025," the minister informed.
The Argentine Football Association had previously acknowledged their Kerala supporters after winning the 2022
FIFA World Cup against France on penalties.
Initially, there were uncertainties about Argentina's visit when their football association hadn't confirmed the tour, citing issues with the Kerala government regarding contract signing.
The initiative to bring Argentina to Kerala gained momentum when Sports Minister Adburahiman met with Argentine Football Association officials in Spain during September 2024 to discuss arrangements.
Adburahiman dismissed concerns raised by Leandro Petersen, AFA's Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, maintaining that the world champions would visit Kerala.
The last time Argentina played in India was in 2011, when they faced Venezuela at Kolkata's Salt Lake stadium.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less
Start a Conversation
Post comment