Kolkata: Lionel Messi’s much-anticipated ‘GOAT Tour to India 2025’ just got bigger with Hyderabad added as the new southern leg stop to ensure fans in the region are not “deprived” of seeing their idol following the cancellation of Argentina’s proposed friendly in Kerala.
The decision to add Hyderabad comes in the wake of the cancellation of Argentina’s proposed friendly in Kochi, which had been originally announced by Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman for November 17.
The revised plan now ensures Messi’s ‘GOAT Tour’ will span all four corners of India — east (Kolkata), south (Hyderabad), west (Mumbai) and north (New Delhi) — turning it into one of the biggest sporting spectacles ever hosted in the country.
“Now we are covering south also. This will be a tribute to millions of football fans in South India,” Satadru Dutta, the sole organiser of the ‘GOAT Tour to India 2025’, told PTI on Saturday.
“With this, every part of India is covered. West is covered through Mumbai, east through Kolkata, north through Delhi. There is a huge Messi fan base in Chennai, Kerala and Hyderabad,” Dutta said.
“I wanted to make it a pan-India event and now that the Kerala event is cancelled, south people are getting deprived to see Messi,” he said, adding that Hyderabad was chosen to give the region its share of Messi magic.
“South should also get an exposure of Messi, so people from south can travel to Hyderabad and watch him. Booking for the Hyderabad event will happen within a week. The event is confirmed and will either be held in Gachibowli or Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium,” Dutta confirmed.
He added that the Hyderabad leg will not just be another stop, but a grand celebration.
“It will be an extension of GOAT Cup as there will be a celebrity match, football clinic, felicitation, musical programme. All the superstars of south will be in presence,” he revealed.
Dutta said he has already held preliminary talks with local organisers in Hyderabad and received strong backing from them.
Revised Itinerary
Dec 12-13 (Kolkata): Arrival in the midnight or early hours; Meet and greet at Hotel (9.30–10.40am); GOAT Cup at Salt Lake Stadium (11.30am–1.10pm); Statue unveiling at Sreebhumi, Lake Lake Town; leaves for Hyderabad (2.15pm).
Dec 13 (Hyderabad): Meet and greet (5pm); GOAT Cup (7–8.45pm) at either Rajiv Gandhi or Gachibowli Stadiums.
Dec 14 (Mumbai): Meet and greet at Hotel (12 noon); Padel GOAT Cup inauguration; GOAT Cup at Wankhede Stadium (5.30pm).
Dec 15 (New Delhi): Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi; GOAT Cup at Arun Jaitley Stadium (2.15pm).
