The much-anticipated “GOAT Tour” of Lionel Messi in India has been updated, following the cancellation of a planned stop in Kerala and the addition of a new venue in Hyderabad. According to organisers, the revised itinerary is designed to cover all four corners of the country, east, west, north and south, to give fans from across India an opportunity to see the football legend in person.
What Changed
The original schedule included a friendly match in Kochi, Kerala, on November 17, but this leg was cancelled due to delays in securing necessary clearances. In its place, Hyderabad has been designated as the southern leg of the tour, with the venue to be either the Gachibowli Stadium or the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium (Hyderabad). Organiser Satadru Dutta told the press that the change allows the “south also” to participate in what is intended as a pan-India event.
The tour begins in Kolkata on December 13. Following that, on the same evening, the southern leg in Hyderabad takes place.
On December 14, Messi visits Mumbai, with events at the Wankhede Stadium including a “Padel GOAT Cup”, football masterclasses for scouting young talent, and celebrity appearances featuring the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar.
On December 15, the tour culminates in Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium (formerly Feroz Shah Kotla) with more meet-and-greets, talent hunting, music concerts, and others.
Ticketing and Demand
Tickets will be sold exclusively on the event’s official platform (District by Zomato). The response has been overwhelming: in Mumbai, all 28,000 seats at Wankhede (priced from Rs 6,980) are reportedly sold out. In Kolkata, the 68,000-capacity venue is nearing full occupancy (starting prices Rs 4,366). In Delhi, tickets begin at Rs 7,670 for around 28,000 seats and the sale is also close to sell-out.
Significance
This tour adds to Messi’s global brand appeal and offers a rare opportunity for Indian football fans to engage with a global icon. The format, combining masterclasses, talent identification and entertainment, underscores a push to deepen football engagement in India, beyond just a match. Also, by covering different regions of the country, the tour aims to reflect the pan-Indian nature of his appeal.
