Kerala govt weighs anti-corruption probe into failed Messi match plan

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala is considering an anti-corruption investigation into the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government's attempt to host the Argentina football team, including captain Lionel Messi, for a friendly match in Kochi in 2025. The match never took place.

State Sports and Youth Affairs Minister O.J. Janeesh said on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, that he had submitted an internal inquiry report to Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan for further action. The report, prepared by Sports Department Special Secretary N. Prasanth, is said to detail several regulatory violations and financial irregularities.

According to government officials, the report raises concerns about service tax evasion on foreign remittances, potential contraventions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), abuse of power leading to losses to the public exchequer, and questionable financial transactions involving offshore entities. The officials indicated that these findings could warrant parallel investigations by central agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), and the GST department.

The controversy dates back to 2023, when the then Kerala Sports Minister, V. Abdurahiman, announced that the state government had partnered with a private sponsor, a television news broadcasting company, to host the Argentine team led by Messi. The announcement claimed the event would come at no cost to the public exchequer and was scheduled for 2025, ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Mr Abdurahiman also led a delegation to Spain, which reportedly cost the public exchequer an estimated ₹14 crore, to meet officials of the Argentine Football Association (AFA). The private sponsor later claimed that ₹126 crore had been transferred to the AFA's account in advance of the visit.

However, neither Messi nor the Argentine team arrived in Kerala in 2025. This led to widespread public anger and disappointment. The LDF government and the sponsor alleged that the AFA had unilaterally withdrawn from a ₹250-crore contractual agreement reportedly signed in Spain.

The UDF, then in opposition, accused the LDF government of misleading football fans. Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) social media accounts ran a viral “Missing Messi” campaign, mocking the previous government's attempt to use Messi's popularity for political gain in the run-up to the elections.

The internal inquiry report, according to officials, casts doubt on the private sponsor's claim of transferring ₹126 crore to the AFA through a US-based intermediary, citing insufficient documentary and banking evidence. The report also flags the lack of a legally binding tripartite agreement between the AFA, the Kerala government, and the private sponsor.

The UDF government has not yet announced a final decision. The matter is now with the Chief Minister, who will determine the next steps. If an investigation is ordered, it could involve multiple state and central agencies. This development adds another chapter to the ongoing political rivalry in Kerala over the failed event.