KOCHI: On one moment, off the next — the Messi-coming-to-Kerala saga has kept fans on edge for nearly a year.

Now, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has confirmed that Lionel Messi and Argentina’s World Cup-winning will come to Kerala between November 10 and 18, 2025.

“Information about the 2025 international friendlies that will face the national team led by Lionel Scaloni: In FIFA date for the month of October, between the dates 6th and the 14th, will be played in the United States, and for the month of November, between 10th and 18th, in Luanda (Angola) and Kerala (India). Rivals to be determined,” according to the official AFA announcement on X.

Adding to this, AFA India posted on X: “The Argentine National Team will visit Kerala this November as part of its international friendlies! A project we began over a year ago in Madrid with the Kerala Govt now opens a new chapter in AFA’s global expansion.”

The announcements mark the strongest signal yet that Kerala will host Messi, after months of wrangling over finances and scheduling. Reports of delayed sponsor payments, and even allegations from the state that AFA was attempting to shift the tour to October 2026, had earlier cast doubt on the project.