FIFA WC Champions Argentina to play friendly matches in Kerala, train with Indian players
State sports minister announced the tour for next year.
Kerala is set to host two friendly football games featuring world champions Argentina next year, as announced by the state Sports Minister, V Abdurahiman.
The Lionel Messi-led Argentine side is scheduled to visit the state in October 2025, as disclosed by the minister in a Facebook post. The decision was reached during an online meeting with the office-bearers of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the governing body of football in Argentina.
The Argentine national side had initially offered to visit Kerala in June, responding to an invitation from the state government. However, during a virtual meeting, the state government officials requested the Argentine Football Association (AFA) to consider rescheduling the trip due to the southwest monsoon, which typically sets in over Kerala in the first week of June. After discussions, the AFA officials confirmed that the world champions would travel to Kerala in October 2025, as stated by the minister on his Facebook page.
The minister added that the Argentine Football Association (AFA) expressed eagerness to enter into a partnership with the state government to jointly promote football talent. As part of this collaboration, the AFA committed to providing training to 5,000 children under the state government’s ‘Goal’ project.
The meeting was attended by Pablo Joaquin Diaz, AFA’s head of international relations, Pranabjyoti Nath, secretary of Kerala Sports and Youth Affairs Department, and Kerala Football Association president Navas Meeran.
