UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES to surround the proposed visit of the FIFA World Cup-winning Argentina national team, led by Lionel Messi, for an international friendly in Kochi, The Hindu reports.
The event’s sponsor, Reporter Broadcasting Corporation (RBC), has yet to confirm whether the team will arrive during the widely publicised March window, following the cancellation of the original fixture scheduled for 25 November.
The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) which faced criticism for allotting the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, under its ownership, to a private entity for the match, allegedly without due process has also expressed a lack of clarity over the visit. GCDA sources said they were unable to either confirm or rule out the match, as RBC is still in discussions with the Argentina Football Association (AFA).
Notably, the fallout from the poorly managed GOAT India Tour event in Kolkata will also cast a shadow over ongoing negotiations, with concerns that those operational lapses could influence the broader situation surrounding the proposed Kochi fixture.
RBC managing director Anto Augustine said, “We are not in a position to officially confirm the visit, though we have an agreement in place with the AFA for the team’s arrival. However, the date keeps shifting – originally from October to November, and now to March. We have been informed that an announcement may be made by January 31 in response to a mail we sent a few days ago.”
After the original Argentina-Australia friendly, slated for 25 November, was cancelled in October, RBC returned the stadium to the GCDA on 28 November. However, the sponsor maintains that renovation work continued until 20 December, the date initially agreed for handing back the venue.
“Renovation works have been completed except for resurfacing the parking lot and finishing a short stretch of the compound wall. Floodlights will be upgraded with new LED fittings, which the sponsors have already procured, depending on whether the visit takes place. The dressing rooms, players’ area, toilets, and playing turf have all been upgraded to international standards,” GCDA sources told The Hindu.
Augustine said the remaining work was delayed due to legal issues, adding that only a small portion of the compound wall remains incomplete. He also stated that renovation work worth approximately Rs 40 crore has been carried out at the stadium. The GCDA, meanwhile, said the upgrades are currently being evaluated by an expert committee comprising officials from the authority and the Sports Kerala Foundation, a non-profit organisation under the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs that served as the special purpose vehicle for the event.
