This will be Messi’s second visit to India having previously played a World Cup qualifying round match against Venezuela 14 years ago in Kolkata.

Lionel Messi-led world champions Argentina will enthrall their millions of fans in India during their visit in October this year for an international friendly, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced.

Argentina clinched their third FIFA World Cup at Qatar 2022 and qualified for their title defence in the 2026 edition by beating traditional rivals Brazil 4-1, which coincided with the announcement of their India visit — part of Argentina’s worldwide promotional activities.

On Wednesday, HSBC India became the official partner of the Argentine team to collaborate and promote football in India, and announced that the match will be held in October.

“Under this partnership, the Argentina national football team, including legendary player Lionel Messi, will visit India for an international exhibition match in October 2025,” a release from HSBC India said.

“The Argentine Football Association (AFA) and HSBC have Wednesday 26th March announced the signing of a new one-year partnership for India and Singapore, covering the competitive season in 2025 ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualification final matches.”