The GOAT Tour featuring Lionel Messi is almost here, and fans across India are buzzing. Messi will be in the country from December 13 to 15, traveling through Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi for a packed series of appearances and events. Before wrapping up his visit, he’s expected to arrive in Delhi for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He won’t be traveling alone. Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul will join him for the Mumbai leg of the tour, according to promoter Satadru Dutta, who is leading the G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025.
Here’s how Messi’s schedule looks:
December 13 — Kolkata
– 1:30 am arrival
– Morning meet-and-greet
– Virtual unveiling of Messi’s statue
– Visit to Yuva Bharati Krirangan
– Appearance by Shah Rukh Khan, followed by Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly
– A friendly match, interaction, and felicitation ceremony
– Afternoon departure for Hyderabad
December 13 — Hyderabad
– 7 pm: A 7v7 match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium with Telangana CM Revanth Reddy
– A musical evening celebrating Messi
December 14 — Mumbai
– Participation in the Padel Cup at the Cricket Club of India
– A celebrity football match
– An event at Wankhede Stadium and a charity fashion show
December 15 — New Delhi
– Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
– Afternoon event at the Arun Jaitley Stadium with a felicitation for Minerva Academy players
Ticketing
Tickets are available on the District app. Most cities start at around ₹4,500, while Mumbai tickets begin at ₹8,250.
This will be Messi’s first trip to India since 2011, when he played a friendly in Kolkata against Venezuela. The final go-ahead for the tour came on August 15. Before the deal was sealed, Satadru Dutta met Messi’s father and agent, and later had a 45-minute discussion with Messi at his home on February 28.
