Messi mania: Safety of fans, celebs top priority for promoters

The safety of paying fans along with Lionel Messi and his entourage will be top of the agenda during the football icon’s visit to India in December, according to the promoter of the event. The Argentine captain, tipped to play in the next FIFA World Cup in 2026, will be making a whistlestop visit of India between 12 and 15 December this year.

‘’The GOAT (greatest of all times — Ed.) Cup and concert in Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi are all ticketed events in either Eden Gardens or Salt Lake Stadium; Wankhede Stadium and Arun Jaitley Stadium, respectively. The post-IPL final tragedy is fresh in everyone’s minds and we have been talking to the state machineries to ensure things go off smoothly,’’ promoter Satadru Dutta said in an interview.

There are still four months to go but as per the plan, Messi will first arrive in Kolkata from Miami on the night of 12 December to kick off the GOAT Tour of India 2025. It will be followed by a felicitation and celebrations in the City of Joy the next day; a visit to Ahmedabad on 14 December for a private function and a concert in Mumbai the day — culminating with a meet-and-greet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the finale in New Delhi on 15 December. 

In an interview with Revsportz, Dutta, who earlier hosted visits by World Cup-winning Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Brazilian great Ronaldinho, said it was a two-year dream for him in the making to bring Messi back to Kolkata.

Replying to an oft-repeated question about how it’s going to help Indian football, he said: ‘’It’s not going to bring about a revolution in Indian football, but rather, it's an effort to promote the game. 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.’’

It was 14 years back on 31 August 2011 that Messi made his first appearance in India, landing in Kolkata as hysterical fans gathered at the airport to welcome him. He wore the captain’s armband as his team won an exhibition match against Venezuela 1-0 at Salt Lake Stadium.

His arrival sparked Messi fever in Kolkata, with thousands of fans lining the streets, donning Messi jerseys and packing the 75,000-capacity stadium. It’s going to be an encore in few months’ time.

Messi mania 2.0, proposed Itinerary

12 December: Arrival in Kolkata (10 pm)

13 December (Kolkata): 9am: Meet and greet event; Statue unveiling (70-feet) at Lake Town Sribhumi, VIP Road; 12 noon to 1.30 pm: GOAT Concert at Eden Gardens/Salt Lake Stadium followed by GOAT Cup 

13 December (evening): Adani Foundation private event at Shantigram, Ahmedabad

14 December (Mumbai): Meet and greet at CCI (3.45 pm); GOAT Concert at Wankhede Stadium (5.30 pm)

15 December (Delhi): Meet PM Modi, GOAT concert at Arjun Jaitley Stadium