Lionel Messi’s ‘GOAT Tour of India 2025’ has been officially approved, with the former FC Barcelona legend set to begin his four-day visit to India on 12 December. The tour will begin in Kolkata, followed by stops at Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi, concluding with a meeting at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on 15 December.
The tour, arranged by promoter Satadru Dutta, will mark Messi’s first trip to India since his 2011 visit, when he played in a FIFA International Friendly match against Venezuela at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
“I got the authorisation and afterwards made it official (on social media). Messi will post any day between August 28 and September 1 with the official poster with all details and a small introduction of his tour,” Dutta told PTI. “I explained the plan and what we wanted to do. He seemed convinced it was worth it and committed to coming.”
Earlier this year, Lionel Messi was supposed to travel to Kerala along with his Argentina national team players, but that deal fell through.
Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour Of India Itinerary
12 December 2025: Arrives in Kolkata at 10 PM, checks into Taj Bengal
13 December 2025 (morning, Kolkata): Meet-and-greet with fans at hotel; special Argentine-Indian tea fusion event; Bengali fish and sweets food festival
13 December 2025 (midday, Kolkata): Unveiling of 70-foot statue at Lake Town Sribhumi, VIP Road; presentation of 25ft x 20ft fan-painted mural
13 December 2025 (afternoon, Kolkata): “GOAT Concert” and “GOAT Cup” (seven-a-side soft-touch football match) at Eden Gardens or Salt Lake Stadium
13 December 2025 (evening, Ahmedabad): Private event hosted by Adani Foundation at Shantigram
14 December 2025 (afternoon, Mumbai): Meet-and-greet at CCI Brabourne; “Mumbai Padel GOAT Cup” with celebrity players (possibly Shah Rukh Khan and Leander Paes)
14 December 2025 (evening, Mumbai): “GOAT Concert” and “GOAT Cup” at Wankhede Stadium; potential “GOAT Captain’s moment” with Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Bollywood stars
15 December 2025 (morning, Delhi): Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence
15 December 2025 (afternoon, Delhi): “GOAT Concert” and “GOAT Cup” at Feroz Shah Kotla, with possible appearances by Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill
Kolkata, considered the “Mecca of Football” in India, will hold the longest stop of the tour. After arriving on the evening of 12 December, Messi will spend two days in the city. “He’s a lover of mate (Argentine herbal tea), so I am doing a fusion of Argentine and Indian Assam tea,” Dutta said. “All Bengali fish, including hilsa, and sweet delicacies will be there on the platter.”
His visit will be marked by a one-of-a-kind mural, standing 25 feet high and 20 feet wide, which will be created during the Durga Puja festival. Fans can paint their messages on it, and the mural will be presented to Messi during the stadium event. The location of the mural is pending approval from the police, the organiser said.
After Kolkata, Messi will travel to Ahmedabad on the evening of 13 December for a private event hosted by the Adani Foundation. The Argentine will then visit Mumbai for a meet-and-greet as well as another leg of the GOAT Cup, where Shah Rukh Khan and Leander Paes are rumoured to make an appearance.
The GOAT Tour will then wrap up in Delhi, where the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) has reportedly invited Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, who’s a “big Messi fan”, to take part in an exhibition cup at the Feroz Shah Kotla (Arun Jaitley Stadium).
“It’s not going to bring about a revolution in Indian football, but rather, it's an effort to promote the game,” Satadru Dutta said about the purpose of the GOAT Tour of India 2025. “There will be a lot of football-centric activities, including Messi conducting short football clinics. If it helps inspire even some of these children to take up the game seriously, it’s good enough.”
(With PTI Inputs)
