The Reporter Broadcasting Company, the Kerala Government’s industrial companion for bringing the Argentina soccer crew and its star Lionel Messi to Kerala, has mentioned that it is likely to be compelled to take legal recourse if the World Cup champion does not play in the State in October or November.
Reporter, the sponsor for the crew’s go to to Kerala, mentioned it had paid the total quantity of ₹130 crore to the Argentine Football Association (AFA) on June 6 this year as per the settlement signed in December 2024.
“As per the agreement, we had sent the full amount and they (AFA) also acknowledged it. But after five days, we received an email asking whether we are okay with having the match in September 2026,” mentioned Anto Augustine, managing director of Reporter, on Tuesday.
“That violates the terms of the agreement we have with the AFA. We are not okay with it. As per our agreement with the AFA, the deal was to have the match in October-November this year. They had even told us that the match can be held in October and we had fulfilled all the terms as per the agreement.”
The subsequent World Cup can be held in June-July 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the USA and Augustine feels the scene might be very totally different after the quadrennial occasion.
“We are interested in having the match only this year, as per the agreed terms. If the agreement is not honoured, there will be huge financial loss. So we may have to handle this legally,” he mentioned.
Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman, who had introduced that Argentina would play in Kerala in October, had advised the media in Kozhikode on Monday that that the crew would not go to Kerala this year. The minister defined that the crew had difficulties in visiting the State in October.
However, Anto felt it was not correct to announce that Messi and Argentina would not be coming to Kerala until the AFA formally declares that the crew would not taking part in in the State this year.
